


Demonology

by BelleMorte180



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:54:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 173,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25547803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelleMorte180/pseuds/BelleMorte180
Summary: Caroline always felt as though she was being watched. She could not explain why she thought the shadows moved and danced around the walls when she was alone. All she knew was that those she loved had a tendency to die around her. When a secret on her mother’s side of the family is revealed, everything suddenly begins to make sense; but with terrifying consequences.WINNER: KC Award category: Best AU supernatural multi-chapter 2020
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 600
Kudos: 467





	1. The Deal

She walked down the back alleyway of New Orleans in early hours of the morning. She passed the rundown buildings and the people standing on the corner who gave her sideway glances. She was not someone they found typically in this part of the city, what with her blonde hair, blue eyes and seemly harmless demeanor. Girls like her ended up dead in parts like these. She knew that but was willing to take the chance. She could only hope that the residence would not want to find a beautiful dead girl who clearly did not belong there and bring the police down upon them.

She rounded another corner, passing by the projects and towards an abandoned house down the road, the scent of rust, creole and sulfur overcame her. She saw something move out of the corner of her eye and for a moment, she thought it was a drug dealer or a prostitute; she had seen many of those lately. However, it was something else. It was the shadows, moving and dancing as though they were on stage. Shivers ran down her spine and fear almost paralyzed her.

Clutching her messenger bag to her, she bolted. She ran and pushed forward as hard as she could. She knew that if the shadows wanted to catch her, they would but she could not stop now. This was too important and if they wanted her after, they could have her. She silently cursed herself for wearing ballet flats and not something sturdier; but then again, she had not anticipated having to run. She had not anticipated the entirety of this day.

Her blonde hair flowed behind her. She looked over her shoulder and she could still see the shadows tracing over the graffiti that was on the brick walls of an old building. If they wanted her, they could have caught her by now; but she knew that they were watching. They were always watching.

When she reached the door of the old abandoned crack house, she entered quickly and slammed the door behind her; it creaked in protest as though it had not been treated in such a manner for a long time. She leaned against it and caught her breath. Her blue eyes were shut tightly, and she was terrified to open them again; unsure of what she would see.

Slowly, she peeked open her eyes and let out a soft exhale. While it was dark, she did not see shadows on the wall or hiding away in the corner; they had left her. She did see people on the ground, moaning while the rested against the rotted flooring; needles sticking out of their arms and lost to oblivion. She made her way around them, ensuring that she did not disturbed any of them. A few of the more conscious ones gazed at her through hazy eyes but made no moves towards her. She made her way up a stairway, ensuring to miss certain steps that clearly would give away.

She weaved down a few hallways, by passing rooms that sounded as though sex was occurring behind closed doors. She made her way to the attic of the building, knowing that it was unlikely for a crack addict to venture that far or for a prostitute to take a john up that high. She was seeking privacy in place that no one would believe was they saw; for the drugs would surely be to blame.

When she reached the attic, she ensured that she locked the door to prevent anyone, or anything, from coming in. She surveyed the room and pushed an old grey couch that she was sure had mold growing on it to the side. She all but screamed when a rat ran out from underneath it; her nerves were on edge and for a moment, she swore that rat was something far more sinister.

Once the area was cleared of debris, she opened her bag and pulled out a leather bond book, chalk, a few candles, matches and a container of salt. She flipped through her book, finding the exact page that she was looking for and picked up the white chalk. She began to draw a pentagram on the wooden floor. She placed a candle on each point of the pentagram before picking up the salt. She walked around the pentagram, pouring a circle of salt around it.

She grabbed the matches and began lighting each of the candles, the flame bringing a tiny bit of light into the attic. She could only hope that they didn’t attract the shadows that had followed her there. She stepped outside of the salt circle and knelt onto her knees. She flipped through the leather-bound book and began to recite the words

_“Niklaus meum et vocavi te, ego vis ad fac a paciscor.”_ The candles flickered but nothing happened. Sighing, she started reciting the passage again. “ _Niklaus meum et vacavi te, ego vis ad fac a pacisor.”_ Nothing happened and tears slowly began to stream down her face. In frustration she recited the passage again and then again. Over and over she chanted but nothing seemed to trigger what she needed. She was desperate and all she had left was to beg. _“Niklaus. Placere. Obsecro. Ego vocare te. Placere.”_

As though she was about to give up completely, she felt the world around her go still. She noticed how the flames on the candles stopped flickering, as though they were frozen in time. There was a small window on the side of the room, a bird was frozen in midair as it passed by. Her blue eyes went wide and her breath hitched. She slowly got up from the floor and walked across the room towards the window. She stared out into the projects and gazed at the bird that was frozen in flight.

“Hello Love.” A voice sounded from behind her and she spun around quickly. In the middle of the pentagram stood a tall man with curly blonde hair. He had dark blue eyes and the smirk on his lips were sinister. She felt her heart lurch into her throat; terrified of what she had done.  
The theory was one thing but in practice was something else.

“I did it. I actually did it. I summoned a demon.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. While she was desperate and willing to try anything, she doubted her skills in actually being able to summon a demon; especially on her own. It took real power to pull a demon from the depths of the underworld and that was even if they decided to listen to the summons. “You came.”

“I wasn’t going to. I’m not one who enjoys being summoned but then again, you begged so nicely. What kind of gentleman would I be if I refused?”

“You’re Niklaus.”

“A ridiculous name my mortal of mother gave me. Please. Call me Klaus.” Klaus flashed her a smile where his teeth were just too white and too perfect. He was handsome in the impossible sense. She found that she couldn’t look away but knew that beneath the surface of his beauty was something highly dangerous. Far more dangerous than she was used to. “Why the ring of salt? Do you not trust me?”

“It’s for protection. You can’t leave it.” She told him nervously, eyeing the salt circle; hoping that she didn’t find a break in it, a break that he would be able to use to step outside of it. “I summoned you not because of trust but because you have the ability to grant what I need.”

“You do realize that I can walk upon the surface whenever I please. Who is to say that the moment we end this conversation, I just won’t come back up and take you?” Klaus asked her and her eyes widened slightly; that was a fact that she had not considered. “I am not your average demon, but you knew that when you summoned me.”

“I did.”

“Well then.” Klaus cocked his head at her and eyed her from head to toe. She knew he was cataloging her; wondering what use she could be to him. She knew what she was doing and what she was bargaining. Some would call her a fool, but she was willing to make any deal at this point. “Tell me, Cami, what is it that I can do for you?”

Cami was stunned and it was clear that her surprise shown on her face. She had not given him her name; not even her name but the nickname she used in everyday life. The way he was gazing at her, she knew that he was looking at her very soul and measuring it. The very thought terrified her, but she had not come this far to back out.

“My sister is dead.” Cami told him and he did not appear surprised; or sympathetic. She assumed that Klaus was in the death business so hearing of someone dying is not exactly news to him. If anything, his beautiful features appeared board at the news. The last thing she wanted was for him to grow board with her and refuse to help her; or worse. “Which is why I need your help.”

“I do not release souls that have crossed into my domain.” Klaus’s voice lost that beautiful melody it held before and became something more sinister. The hair on the back of Cami’s neck stood up and the goosebumps on her arms became more pronounced. It felt as though the room had grown colder than it was previously. It felt as though the late summer heat vanished and was replaced by a northern winter. “Some demons may be in the business of extending life but once I have a soul, I do not release it.” He cocked his head again, as though he realized something. “Although I am not the one who would be able to return her soul to you anyway. Am I?”

“I’m not here to bargain for Liz’s soul.” Cami told him. They both knew she would be on her knees, begging for her sister’s life back if she could but that was a lost cause and she knew it. “I am here to ask you for protection. Liz was murdered and I want to prevent that from happening again.”

“You want me to extend my protection to you?” Klaus looked at her as though she was mad. Klaus did not give his mark easily and certainly not to some random wiccan that summoned him. Cami was beautiful but not enough to tempt him to place his mark upon her. “I’m afraid that is not something I would be willing to give. What is so special about you that I would want to protect your life?”

“Not for me. I don’t care about me.” Cami whispered. She looked down at the salt circle and closed her eyes slowly. She leaned down and took her finger, running it through the salt; breaking the confines that Klaus found him in. If he wanted to consume her, he could always materialize later if he so desired. The moment the salt prison was broken, Klaus was standing before her; his nose inches from hers. “But I can show you who.”

Klaus grinned at her wickedly; and Cami knew why. She was opening herself up to a demon and that was by far the stupidest thing she could do. She knew that and was prepared for the consequences. Klaus reached up and touched Cami’s temples. Cami eyes fluttered shut and she could feel Klaus inside of her mind; and she opened up to him, showing him something he was not expecting.

_A little girl no more than the age of four was running wild in the middle of the French Quarter. She had light blonde hair and blue eyes that had a determination that surprised even Klaus. The little girl tripped, scrapping her knee against the concrete; blood covering it, but she did not flinch. Instead, she just picked herself up off the ground and kept running; her laughter ringing out among the sound of jazz filtering through the air._

_“Caroline!” The little girl stopped and turned to look over her shoulder. Cami came running down the street, appearing exactly as she was standing before Klaus. Her flowerily dress and ballet flats were the same, telling Klaus that the memory was from earlier in the day. Cami came to stand in front of the young girl and knelt down to her eye level._

_“Hi Aunt Cami!”_

_“What are you doing?” Cami ask her, amused. She gave Caroline a small smile and held out her hand. Caroline linked her fingers through Cami’s easily and returned her aunt’s gaze with an expression of excitement. “And where is your mom? Why are you out here all by yourself?”_

_“I don’t know. She told me to go play outside. I don’t know why.” Caroline shrugged and Cami froze. Klaus could see the flicker of worry cross Cami’s face. Before she could question the little girl further, she continued on with a happy expression on her face. “And I’m playing. They wanted me to chase them. I think I lost them though. I don’t see them anymore.”_

_“Who Caroline? Who were you chasing?”_

_“The shadows.” Caroline whispered and gave a small giggle. “They begged me to play with them. They are always so much fun. They told me that I needed to stay outside and asked me to chase them, but they are too fast. I couldn’t catch up. One day I will.”_

_With a hitched breath, Cami reached down and picked Caroline up; holstering her onto her hip. She moved quickly to the side and started heading back down the street; in the opposite direction that Caroline was heading. Caroline looked down the street and Klaus followed her gaze, seeing the shadows dancing across the street; unnoticed by the adults who walked right by them._

_“Caroline, I need you to listen to me. Okay? You are never to play with the shadows. Do you understand me? Never play with the shadows. They are not your friends.” Cami’s voice was harsher than normal, and Caroline’s eyes narrowed; clearly, she did not like being told what to do. “Please Caroline. Just, listen to me. Just this once.”_

_“But-“_

_“No Caroline.”_

_The memory changed them. Gone was the streets of the French Quarter and was replaced by an old creole townhouse. The scene inside was something Klaus had seen many times but rarely on the surface. The home was covered in blood and in the depts of the basement, he saw the body of a young woman who looked similar to Cami._

_She was pale with long blonde hair. Her blue eyes were wide, terrified and empty. Her body was mutilated and laid upon symbols that made Klaus’s lips curl. He turned to see a young Caroline, covered in blood, screaming for her mother, her left shoulder injured; a deep mark burned onto it. She curled up next to the dead body; hugging it closely. Klaus kneeled down beside her, knowing that she could not see him. He reached out to touch the hair of the young girl; her despair evident in her screams._

_“Mommy don’t leave me. Please. Come back.” Caroline was young and should have little to no concept of death and yet here she was; begging her dead mother to come back to her. Klaus could see bruises on her arms and wrists. Whomever killed her mother, restrained Caroline to stop her from interfering. Yet, he could tell that she was not about to sit back and not fight to get to her mother._

_The fearlessness of the child intrigued him._

_Klaus could hear footsteps running down the wooden stairs. Cami appeared, having been standing on the top of the stairs for a minute, watching Caroline scream over her mother’s corpse. Cami stood frozen, looking over the scene before her._

_“Liz?” Cami whispered as the took small steps towards Caroline and the body. She kneeled down and a look of horror overcame her; an understanding that she wished she didn’t possess. She reached out and took Caroline into her arms; pulling her from the body. “Caroline, you need to come with me.”_

_“No!”_

_“Caroline-“_

_“I won’t leave her.” Caroline’s wails pierced through the air and Cami had trouble pulling the little girl from the body. Klaus watched as Cami rocked the girl, whispering comforting words into her ear. Caroline’s eyes never left her mother’s face and Klaus couldn’t help but look away._

Klaus pulled his fingers from Cami’s temples and stared at her. Cami could see the curiosity, decision and interest in his eyes. She did not know if she should be afraid at the fact that Klaus clearly held an interest for her niece and what he could possibly want with a child. However, if it was between him and something far sinister, Cami would place her faith in him.

“She does not deserve this. She does not deserve to be brought up in this life when she didn’t choose it. Please. She is already seeing them. They are already interacting with her and I can’t lose her too.” Cami whispered. “She is just a child.”

“And one day she won’t be.” Klaus told her “I could protect her. They will come for her. That much has already been decided but I could keep her safe from them in the end. Is that what you want?” Cami nodded. She knew that this was not a permanent solution. This would not make Caroline’s life easy; she would always be marked but that did not mean the shadows would vanish; they just wouldn’t be able to touch her in the long run. “Why come to me though? Surely there are other demons that would be able to give you what you need?”

“None like you. None that could protect her like you can.”

“To right you are.” Klaus walked around Cami, circling her as though he was a shark hunting his prey in the water. Cami remained still; terrified if she moved, he would consume her. “If I agree to mark Caroline when the time comes and put her under my protection, what are you prepared to give me in return? I am not one to give out my services for free. What deal are you prepared to make?”

“In exchange for Caroline’s protection, I’m prepared to offer you anything.” Cami gazed right at him, unwavering. He could see that she meant it; that she would offer anything to protect her family. She was young, no more than twenty-five, but the day’s events had aged her. Her sister was murdered and now would do anything to protect her niece. “Tell me what you want, and I willingly give it.”

“As cliché as it sounds, I want your soul. I want to harness it. Keep it along with all the others I hold.” Klaus smiled at her, dimples protruding on his face; making him appear more handsome than before. She could not help but feel the terror that coursed through her at that smile; a smile that clearly was not human. “One day, not today and not tomorrow, I will come for you. I will consume you and your soul will eternally be at my mercy. In exchange, I will protect Caroline. I will keep the shadows from touching her and when the time comes, I will ensure that what you’re dreading does not come to pass.”

“Where do I sign?” Cami’s gaze was hard, and decision made. Klaus held out his hand and in wave of black smoke, a knife appeared in it. He gripped the handle and sliced is other hand; blood running down it. He tripped the blade and handed the knife to Cami, who without a second thought took it from him. She sliced a deep cut into her palm and held out her hand. Klaus grasped it; mixing his blood with hers.

Cami could feel his blood submerge itself into her wound. It was as though his very essence etched itself into her veins and coursed through her body; leaving an imprint on her soul, marking it for his taking. There was no going back. She knew the deal she was making and what would happen to her when it was time to pay up her end of the bargain.

Klaus pulled his hand away from hers and Cami could see that his wound was completely healed while her hand still thumped from the deep cut. Cami hissed in pain, staring down at her palm; almost expecting something magical to occur; but all she saw was the cut and the blood covering her hand. She looked back up at Klaus who was watching he with amusement.

“I’ll be seeing you Camille.” He backed away from her and stood in the middle of the pentagram; still smirking at her. Cami blinked and he was gone. Time seemed to right itself and the bird that was frozen outside the window resumed its flight and the flames of the candles flickered again. She looked down at her hand and the wound was still fresh, confirming that everything she had just experienced was real.

Cami blew out the candles and gathered up her materials. She found an old rag and disrupted the circle of salt; brushing the grains around the room. She made her way out of the crack house and when she stepped out into the moonlight, not a single shadow could be seen. Cami quickly walked through the projects, glancing over her shoulder as she went and made it to her car that she had parked over a mile and a half away. She did not see a single soul in sight; no drug dealer, prostitute or homeless person.

Something that just did not feel right.

She drove through the city and towards the French Quarter and towards her house that was in a small little neighborhood just outside of it. Cami lived in a small white creole cottage with blue shutters and planter boxes on the windows. She could see the living room light on and an unfamiliar car in her drive. She gave a sigh before turning off her engine, grabbing her bag and heading inside the house.

Cami slowly walked up towards the front door and pushed it open. She knew that it was not going to be Davina waiting for her. When she unlocked her door and opened it to reveal her living room, she found a young man sitting on her impeccable white couch.

“Hello Bill.” Bill Forbes was a man with a square jaw, blonde hair, grey eyes and was no older than thirty. He was wearing a blue button up shirt with a suit jacket that Cami found ridiculous for the Louisiana heat. Cami sat her bag down on the floor near her brick fireplace and crossed her arms; glaring at him. She was not a fan of Bill and had been vocal against the relationship Liz had with him. “Where is Davina?”

“I sent her home. Where the hell have you been?” Bill’s voice was hard and his eyes glaring at her. Bill was no more a fan of Cami than she was of him. The relationship between the two had always been frosty but they remained civil for the most part when it came to Liz and Caroline. “What happened?”

“You know what happened Bill.” Cami gave him an exasperated tone. Bill stood from the couch and she thought for a moment that he was going to start yelling at her, but he just shook his head. “I’m surprised that you came. When Stephen answered the phone, I had thought that I wouldn’t be seeing you.”

“She is my daughter.”

“Funny. I thought you gave up that right when you left my sister with a screaming infant to run off with your lover. Tell me, how does it feel to play daddy to your boyfriend’s daughter when you can’t even come and see your own flesh and blood?” Cami snapped and Bill said nothing; unable to deny her accusations. She raised her hand to lean against the mantle of the fireplace and hissed in pain. She jerked her hand back and glared down at the wound on her hand. “Shit.”

Bill walked across the room quickly and grabbed her hand. He looked down at the wound and his face went pale. His grey eyes flashed to her blue ones and back down at the wound. Cami could see the wheels turning in his head and connected the dots.

“What did you do?”

“What had to be done.” She snatched her hand out of his grip, his eyes still pouring into her and she could see the judgement passing through them. Another reason she hated Bill, he was far to judgmental; and Cami knew that saying something coming from her. “Don’t look at me like that Bill. You have no idea what happened today.”

“Then why don’t you explain it. Jesus Christ Cami.” Bill hissed. “You call telling me that my ex-wife was murdered and that my daughter witnessed it. I come here, expecting to find you and Caroline but instead I find a teenage girl trying to calm down my traumatized child; and you were doing what? Galivanting with demons? What deal did you make?”

“All you need to know is that I did what I had to in order to protect that little girl.” Cami snapped right back. Cami shook her head and gave a bitter laugh. “I found Caroline running in the streets this morning. Liz was nowhere in sight. Caroline said that she was playing the shadows. You know what that means.”

“What?”

“I took her home and told her never to engage with them. When I brought her back to the townhouse, Liz seemed fine. She told Caroline to go play in the backyard and didn’t realize she had wandered outside the gate.” Cami snorted and shook her head. “I should have realized then that something was wrong. Liz always kept track of Caroline. I should have stayed or took Caroline with me.”

“How did you know to come back?” Bill asked as he sunk back down on the couch; his face in his hands. Cami could sense the fear coming off of him as the reality of what she was telling him set in.

“I started seeing them. The shadows. They never talked to me like they did Liz. When Caroline told me that she was playing with them. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and what that could possibly mean. If she was seeing them then…” Cami trailed off, remembering what Liz’s townhouse looked like when she stepped inside it. Blood, salt and chalk was scattered all along the house with the hint of sulfur in the air. “I saw her. Caroline was clutching her body. I knew then what I had to do. I made a deal to keep her safe. They followed me tonight but after….they were gone.”

“And Liz’s body?”

“I took care of it.”

“What did you offer in exchange Cami?” Bill asked her but she just gave him a look and they both knew that she would not answer him. “Jesus Cami. That was reckless. I get you want to keep her safe but this? We would have years to figure something out.”

“I did what I had to do.” Cami told him and put a close to the topic. Bill knew that she would not take kindly to him pressing her for more information. She walked over to her bookshelf that was located near the window facing her front porch. A picture was perched against some of her books and she picked up the frame. The photo was of herself, Liz and two of their mutual friends when they were teenagers. They had always been close, and it still seemed unreal that she was gone. “Take Caroline back to Mystic Falls. Raise her alongside Stephen’s girl. Give her a normal life.”

“And what happens when they come calling for her?”

“I told you. I took care of it.” Cami placed the photo back onto the shelf and turned to face him. “I’ll help Caroline with whatever I can. I will always be here for her. When she is old enough, I will explain everything to her but for now, just let her be a child.” Bill nodded, agreeing to Cami’s terms. “Just, let me say goodbye to her.”

Cami bypassed Bill and he didn’t stop her. She walked up the small stairway and entered her bedroom where Caroline was laying. She was curled into a ball and her blonde hair sprayed across Cami’s pillow. Cami looked around the room and she could see the shadows hiding in the corner. They were no longer dancing; just waiting. Cami turned to look back at Caroline and saw that her eyes were open wide but seemed to be starting off into nothing.

“Caroline?” Cami walked slowly over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. She reached out and ran her fingers through her niece’s hair. Caroline had the blanket pulled to her chest and was holding onto it as though it was her lifeline. “Honey talk to me. Are you okay?”

“Can you hear them?” Caroline asked her, shifting onto her back. She turned her head to look up at her aunt. “They are telling me that we will be friends, but I don’t want to be friends anymore. I want my mommy, but they said they took her and won’t give her back.”

“I know. I know.” Cami pulled Caroline into her arms and began to rock her back and forth; hoping that it would bring some comfort to the small child. Caroline wrapped her arms around Cami and buried her head into her aunt’s neck. Cami could feel the tears on her skin, and it broke her heart to know that this little girl was forever changed. She could only hope that the deal she made was worth it. “One day the shadows will not haunt you. One day, you will be free of all this.”

“Why did they take her? Why won’t they give her back?” Caroline’s muffled voice was quiet, and it took a few seconds for Cami to process what she had asked. She didn’t know how to reply. The truth would be too much for her, at such a young age and the chance of her fully understanding the reality was slim. Caroline was an exceptional child; bright, intelligent and curious, but Cami didn’t want to hurt her more than she already was. “I don’t know Honey. I really don’t.”

Lie.

“What is going to happen to me?” Caroline asked, pulling away from Cami. She curled up on the bed again; pulling the blankets to her chest. Cami stared down at those bright blue eyes that were still holding back tears. “I heard Davina leave and then a man came in and said he was my dad. Mommy never spoke about him. Just that he left and never came back.”

“Yes. That’s your dad. He has come to take care of you. He lives in a small town called Mystic Falls in Virginia. You’re going to go and live with him.”

“No!” Caroline launched herself back into Cami’s arms, who almost fell off the bed by the force of it. Caroline held onto her tightly, digging her nails into Cami’s skin, causing her to wince. “I want to stay with you. I want to stay here. Please don’t make me go! Please! I want to say here. Don’t make me go.”

“Honey. You have to. Okay?” Cami tried to reassure her, but Caroline was crying harder. “Shh. I promise that I will come and see you as much as I can okay? You can come here as often as you want? I’m only a phone call away and I will always answer if you call, okay?” Caroline nodded her head, tears still streaming down her face. “Your dad will take you home and you will meet his boyfriend. You’ll have two daddies who will love you. You have a new step-sister to play with and you will be happy.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“I know baby. I know.” Cami soothed. “But you need to be brave. Can you do that? You’re the bravest little girl I know and if anyone can do this; its you. You are strong and beautiful and stubborn. Now is one of those times that I need you to be all of those things. Okay?” Caroline nodded in understanding; Cami relieved that the little girl was not going to fight her. “And most importantly, I need you to listen to me. Never interact with the shadows. Pretend that they are not there. Tell yourself that they are not real. Over and over, they are not real.”

“But they hurt mommy.”

“I know they did but I need you to forget that they are real. The shadows are not real. I promise that I will be here to help you with that, okay? Say it with me. The shadows are not real.”

“The shadows are not real.” Caroline repeated and Cami smiled at her. She leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Cami rocked her again, listening to Caroline repeated those words over and over again. The shadows are not real. Cami could only hope that over time, Caroline would begin to believe that it was true.

Caroline eventually drifted off to sleep in Cami’s arms and she lowered the child back into the bed. Caroline shifted onto her stomach and pulled the blanket to her chest; the sleeves of her shirt riding up to expose her shoulder blade. Cami brushed Caroline’s blond hair out of the way and lifted the shirt to expose her shoulder more.

On Caroline’s skin was a bright red mark that appeared to be burned on. Cami looked down at it and held back a sob. The mark was small and would fade into nothing more than a scar over time but now it was so vibrant that it would draw attention. It was in the shape of a small ‘v’ but on its side and the ends of the letter were curled. A large line went through the ‘v’ and appeared to be bolder at the tips.

Cami knew what that meant. She could only hope that Klaus kept his end of the deal and all this would go away in time. Caroline would grow up in a small town away from the darkness that plagued their family and maybe she will be spared. If that is the case, then the deal Cami made was well worth the price she paid.

Cami stood from the bed and quietly left the room; closing the door tightly behind her. The moment the door was shut, the shadows moved across the wall again, but they did not have their majestic movements from earlier. They lingered for a moment before slipping out the window and leaving their new charge to rest in peace.

But they would be back.

The shadows always came back.


	2. Crossroads

_Twenty Years Later_

“Mother fucker!” Caroline cursed as she slammed the door to her blue Honda shut. She balled her fist and hit the steering wheel with everything she had, causing the horn to blow as she did so. Hot tears pooled down her eyes in frustration and she let herself have a moment in the car. Everything was falling apart just when she thought that her life was taking a turn for the better. She wanted this job. She needed it and loved it. “What the fuck does budget cuts even mean?”

Caroline Forbes had gotten fired. It was the first and only time such a thing had happened to her. It had come out of nowhere and was completely unexpected. Caroline had worked hard to get that far in life. She was an honor roll student in high school, got a full ride to college and got a degree in journalism. When she graduated a year ago and got a job as a fact checker at a small local paper just outside of town, Caroline thought her life was taking off.

And then it happened.

Budget cuts were the excuses Pearl used when she called Caroline into her office that morning. She sat Caroline down on the wrong side of the oak desk and told her that the paper could not afford to keep her on staff and that they would have to let her go. Pearl promised that if she were to file for unemployment, they would not fight it and give her a glowing review if she were to put them down as a reference. Either way, Caroline found herself packing up her desk; placing photos and other knickknacks into a cardboard box as her former coworkers stared at her, whispering behind their hands.

Caroline was not stupid. Pearl didn’t fire her because of budget cuts. Scowling as she pulled out of the small parking space she had been using for the last year and a half and made her way towards Mystic Falls. Unable to keep her mind off the fact that she was now unemployed, Caroline picked up her phone and dialed; she listened to the phone ring through the speakers of her car and after a few moments, he answered.

“Hey Care Bear.” Stephen’s voice sounded throughout the car and Caroline felt herself relax. She had been close to Stephen for as long as she could remember, even after her father died when she was nineteen. She had always looked at him as a second father and he had the patience to deal with her when she was having one of her moments. Bill, while he loved his daughter, did not have Stephen’s patience. “How are you?”

“I got fired.”

“What?! What happened?” Stephen’s voice turned from one of excitement to shock. Caroline was not someone anyone expected to lose her job. She was an overachiever and worked to ensure that everything was perfect that she should have been any employers dream. Caroline had a smile that lit up a room and a personality that was annoyingly positive that typically made those in the foulest of moods smile.

“Officially? Pearl claimed it was because of budget cuts was the excuse they used which is bullshit.” Caroline scowled as her Honda rolled to a stop at a red light. She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she decided how she was going to tell him the truth. Stephen never judged her; his daughter was another story. “Last week I had a freak out.”

“What do you mean freak out?” While his voice did not change, Caroline knew him well enough that he was concerned. He never pushed her, especially when Caroline did not want to talk about whatever was bothering her. Caroline had a tendency to bottle up her emotions until it was too late, and they exploded all over the place in one giant meltdown.

“I was at work last week and was in the middle of fact checking this article and I swear I saw them.” She paused, hearing a hitch in Stephen’s breathing but pushed on. “I thought I saw the shadows move. It was like, more than just a trick of light. It was almost like they were dancing. I can’t explain it. Anyway, I had this intense flashback of…. mom…and apparently the office does not appreciate having hot coffee thrown at the wall out of nowhere.”

“Oh sweetie.” Stephen’s voice set her on edge, and she gripped the steering wheel tightly. She bit down on her lip, waiting to hear what he was going to say next. She knew what it was going to be, he said the same thing each and every time this happened. Granted, it had been years since she had an episode relating to the shadows but either way, Stephen always said the same thing. “You’re having a rough go of it. It’s almost coming up on the five-year anniversary of your dad’s death. Of course, that is going to bring up memories of your mom. Are you sleeping?”

“I have insomnia. What do you think?”

“I take that as a no. Are you taking your medication?” Caroline rolled her eyes. Just because she had a prescription for sleeping pills did not mean that she actually needed them. Caroline found that her most productive times were in the middle of the night when she couldn’t sleep. Instead of answering, Caroline just gave the question a snort and Stephen just sighed. “I get you’re upset but I’m trying to help.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” A wave of guilt filled Caroline and she bit her lip. “It’s just every time I close my eyes lately, I see her. I see her in that pool of blood and those symbols burned on her skin that it makes sleeping impossible. Like you said, the anniversary of dad’s death is coming up and maybe I’m just tired.”

“Have you thought about setting up an appointment with Dr. Maxfield?” There is was. The shrink. Stephen’s go to solution for when Caroline thought she was seeing those blasted shadows again or wasn’t sleeping or having weird dreams. “I know you hate talking to him but if you’re seeing things again, maybe you should go see him.”

“I’m not crazy!” Caroline all but yelled into the phone and winced at the sound of her own voice. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just having a shit day and shouldn’t take it out on you. I know you’re just trying to help.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I don’t need to talk to Dr. Maxfield. It was a one-time incident. I haven’t seen the shadows in a long time, not since I was a kid, and I think it was brought on by lack of sleep and stress. That’s all.”

“Okay.” Stephen said and Caroline could tell that he did not agree with her decision but was not going to fight with her. She felt guilty for how the conversation was going. She wanted to vent out her frustrations, not have a therapy session but everything always seemed to come back to how people deemed her mental health. It always rubbed her the wrong way. “Have you spoken to Cami recently? Maybe you should take some time and go see her. Maybe stop by Atlanta on your way back.”

“Is this your way of telling me I need to come for a visit?” Caroline teased and it was good to hear Stephen chuckle on the other end. The sound of his laugh made her smile widely. She missed Stephen. He had moved from Mystic Falls to Atlanta during Caroline’s freshman year of college and a few months after Bill passed away of cancer. He wanted to be closer to his daughter who had all but fled Virginia at the same time. “No. I haven’t spoke to her in a few weeks. Maybe I should take a drive down to see her.”

“I think she would like that.”

“So, how are you? How is Hayley?” Caroline asked, trying to change the subject from herself to Stephen. The whole reason why Stephen had moved to Atlanta was to be closer to his daughter, but Stephen rarely mentioned her beyond a few updates. He knew that neither Hayley nor Caroline got on well with the other.

“Same old same old. Nothing interesting to report with me. Hayley is doing well. We went wedding dress shopping last week and she is getting excited.” Stephen told her lightly, pausing after the update of his daughter. “We were discussing wedding invitations and she-“

“Doesn’t want to invite me. I knew that was coming.” Caroline replied in a matter of fact tone. In truth, Caroline did not want to go to Hayley’s wedding. If she had been invited, she would have been shocked, and probably would have just sent a gift with a generic card. The less Caroline saw of Hayley the better in her opinion. “I get it. Why would you want the groom’s crazy ex-girlfriend at the wedding?”

“Caroline. You’re not crazy.”

“I know that. Hayley is not convinced.” Hayley also probably did not want Caroline to make it a point that she caught Hayley and Tyler in bed together three days after her father died, and mere hours after the funeral, and that Caroline had not taken the news well. While Caroline was of the firm opinion that Hayley was more than welcome to Tyler, she still felt a tiny bit bitter that her stepsister and boyfriend were sleeping together behind her back while she was caring for her dying father. Even years later, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. “It’s fine, really. I don’t- oh for fucks sake. Seriously!”

“What?” Stephen asked but Caroline ignored him. She blew out a huff of annoyance as she pulled into the driveway of her house. It was a small three-bedroom home that she inherited from Bill when he died and sitting on her porch was her ex-boyfriend who Caroline really did not want to see.

“Stefan is at my house.”

“I thought the two of you broke up?”

“We did. Three months ago, and he is clearly having a hard time letting go.” Caroline parked her car and scowled when he stood from her porch swing and gave her a rueful wave. She glared at him but was sure that he couldn’t see her annoyed expression through her tinted windows. “Can I call you tomorrow Stephen? I have a feeling I’m about to get into an argument.”

“Tell him he spends too much money on hair gel that makes him look ridicules. Wound his ego and maybe he will go away.” Stephen told her and Caroline laughed out loud, knowing full well that was his entire plan. Stephen had never been a fan of Stefan during the entire relationship, or the friendship she had with him during childhood, and he actually sent Caroline a bottle of champagne when she told him that she dumped Stefan. “Call me tomorrow and try and get some sleep.”

“Bye Stephen.” Caroline hit the end button on her smart phone and took a deep breath. She counted down from ten before picking up her purse; deciding that her box of stuff could wait till tomorrow. She climbed out of her car and slowly walked up to her front porch, eyeing Stefan as she went. He looked as he always did, wearing jeans and a tan long-sleeved shirt where the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His hair was sticking up all over the place and seemed stiff, telling Caroline that he had intentionally styled it in such a manner. “What do you want Stefan?”

“I heard about what happened at the paper. I thought you could use a friend.” His cool demeanor had Caroline’s eyes popping out of her sockets. She did feel as though she could use a friend, but Stefan was not the person she wanted in that moment. Perhaps once upon a time she would have called him, but she thought her break-up speech, one she had practiced for months, and was pretty clear that she didn’t even want to be friends with him.

“It literally just happened, less than an hour ago! How did you hear I was fired?” Caroline asked but she knew the answer. Mystic Falls was a small town and news traveled like lightening; there was a good chance that Stefan knew about her being fired before she did. She crossed her arms, her keys firmly in her hand but did not move to unlock the door. She did not want Stefan staying and would head inside once he got into his car and drove away. “You know what, don’t answer that. I bet it is all over town that Caroline Forbes got fired from the small-town paper. I bet everyone knows why.”

“I heard budget cuts. Makes sense. Damon said that they were cutting funds at the last city council meeting. We were expecting a few shortages and changes. I didn’t realize that your job would be one of them.” Stefan gave her a sheepish look and Caroline could tell that he had not heard about the incident last week with the shadows and coffee mug. Perhaps she would have to send Pearl flowers for keeping that bit of gossip from spreading around town.

“Right. Fine. Look, thank you for coming by but I’m fine. You can go.”

“Caroline-“

“Stefan. I made myself clear. I want a clean break. Okay. And that means that this…” Caroline pointed between the two of them. “is over. I know it is coming from a good place and we had been friends long before we got into a relationship, but I don’t-what are you doing?” Caroline’s eyes grew even wider as Stefan slowly sunk down onto one knee. Caroline’s heart stopped and her stomach churned at the sight. He grabbed her hand giving it a tight squeeze. He pulled out a black box and for a moment, Caroline actually thought she had gone insane. “No. No. You’re not-“

“Marry me.” Stefan asked her and Caroline was speechless. “I know you’re going through a rough patch right now and this is not how I wanted to do it. We’ve been best friends since we were kids and the last three years together have been the happiest of my life. I want to spend the rest of our lives together. So, what do you say, will you marry me?”

“Seriously?” Caroline’s eyes were wide and looking at him in complete shock. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind? What did I just say? No. I won’t marry you Stefan! I broke up with you. Three months ago. We were better off friends and we ruined that by getting into a relationship. I don’t want to marry you Stefan. I’m twenty-four. I’m not ready for marriage and when I am, you’re most certainly not going to be my husband!”

“Caroline. Be reasonable.”

“Be reasonable?! You propose to me after I’ve told you that I don’t want to be with you, and you tell me to be reasonable?” Caroline gave a huff and shook her head. She snatched her hand out of his and pointed to his car. “Leave.”

“Caroline.”

“Now!”

“Alright! I’m going.” Stefan stood and started to leave the porch but paused at the bottom step. “I love you Caroline. I understand that you might not be ready but when you’ve taken the time to figure everything out, I’ll be here. If you need me, just call.”

Before Caroline could reply, Stefan turned and walked towards his car. She leaned against the railing watching as he pulled out of her driveway and in the back of her mind, Caroline was glad that she had taken his key when she kicked him out. It wasn’t that she was scared of him, she just knew how clingy he could be.

With a shake of her head, Caroline turned towards her front door and unlocked it. The house that her father left behind when he died was small. The front door had a hazy window that lead directly into the living room. The walls were painted a soft yellow, as it had been for as long as she could remember, and over the years, Caroline had updated the furniture to match her taste. The home technically belonged to Stephen when Bill died but he quickly signed it over to Caroline when he wanted to move to Atlanta.

When Caroline entered her house, she pressed her back against the door and brought her fingers to her temples. She felt exhausted from the day’s events and it was not even noon. Between getting fired, Stefan’s proposal and the lack of sleep, Caroline felt as though she was about to drop. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text message.

_[Caroline: 10:32 am] Dinner tonight. My place. Got fired. Stefan proposed. Bring Wine._

Caroline tossed the phone onto her small wooden coffee table, not waiting for a replay. She laid down on her white couch, her head resting against her navy-blue pillows and grabbed the soft grey blanket that was lingering on the back of the couch. She stared at the ceiling and out of the corner of her eye, she saw them.

The sun went behind the clouds for a moment, making the room go dimmer and she could see them against the walls. She could feel them watching her, but her mind was going hazy; sleep slowly pulling her in. In the moments when her mind wasn’t sharp, Caroline swore she could hear them whispering to her; but she could not tell if the whispers were dangerous or not.

_“You need to go now Caroline.” Liz’s voice was soft and gentle. She seemed distant and not as comforting as young Caroline was used to. A terrified feeling settled into the pit of her stomach and it made Caroline cling to her mother’s legs. “Go upstairs and hide under the bed. Everything will be okay.”_

_“No. Mommy stay with me.” She pleaded and Liz bent down in order to be eye level with her daughter. Liz gave her a small smile and tucked a small curl behind her ear. Caroline launched herself into her mother’s arms and Liz held her close. “I’m scared.”_

_“There is nothing to be afraid of. Everything will be okay. We just need to have faith.” Liz kissed Caroline’s forehead and stood. “Now. Go upstairs and do not come downstairs. No matter what you hear okay? Be a good girl for me. One day, everything will make sense. You and I will be together. I promise.”_

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Caroline jerked awake, the grey blanket falling to the floor. Her heart was beating furiously, and her eyes searched the room, searching for the darkness that liked to linger in the corners. She saw nothing and slowly her breathing started going back to normal. She ran her hands through her hair again before the knocking sounded at her front door.

Confused, Caroline pulled herself from the couch and made her way towards the door. She saw the fuzzy outline of her friend on the other side and was confused. Caroline opened it to see Elena leaning against the doorframe with a worried look on her face. Elena Salvatore (nee Gilbert) was Caroline’s closest friend and possibly the only person who did not believe that Caroline was not completely crazy. She had long brown hair with matching brown eyes and had an expression of complete concern on her features.

“You okay Care? I called multiple times, but you didn’t answer, and I was knocking for a good few minutes.” Her voice was gentle, and Elena’s eyes traveled over Caroline’s person, searching for any source of injury. “Did I wake you?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I feel asleep as soon as I got home. What time is it?”

“Just after five.”

“Shit. I really fell asleep. Sorry, I was exhausted and I out of it right after I texted you. Pizza?” Elena nodded and Caroline stepped aside. Elena walked into the house and walked straight past the stairway and into the kitchen. Caroline eyed the bottle in Elena’s hand and laughed. “That doesn’t look like wine. Unless wine suddenly turned into vodka.”

“With the day you had, wine isn’t going to cut it. I already told Damon that he was going to have to come and pick me up.” Caroline nodded, ignoring the mention of Elena’s husband, who Caroline had a rocky relationship with. “Order the food and then spill. I want to hear everything from Pearl to Stefan. Okay?”

Caroline nodded, leaving Elena in the kitchen to grab her phone off the coffee table. She pressed her thumb print against the home button and saw that Elena had called her multiple times during the day; Caroline was in such a deep sleep that he did not even hear her phone ring. Sleep was rare for her and while she knew it must have made Elena worry, Caroline could not feel guilty for actually being able to get some sleep.

She dialed the number for the pizza place while heading back into the kitchen. Elena pulled out two glasses from the cabinet and was searching through Caroline’s fridge, looking for something to mix with the vodka. She found nothing but that was mainly due to the fact that the only thing Caroline kept in her fridge was Siracha sauce. While order, she made a point to request two bottles of soda and hopefully that would tide them over.

Once off the phone, Elena grabbed the glasses, the bottle and the two of them headed back into the living room to wait for the pizza. Setting the glasses and vodka on the coffee table, both Caroline and Elena settled down onto the couch; Caroline turning on the TV to play some music in the background.

“Okay. Talk. What happened?” Elena probed and Caroline sighed in annoyance. “All I know is that the council was cutting funding to different places and the paper was one of them. It is all over town that you lost your job due because you were the youngest on staff.”

“Anna is the youngest on staff, but she doesn’t count. Pearl is not about to fire her own daughter. Even if she doesn’t do anything.” Caroline stated and Elena nodded. Everyone knew that the only reason Anna worked at the paper was because Pearl was the editor. “And the whole budget cut thing just seems to be an excuse. I think Pearl let me go because of a little freak-out I had last week.” Caroline proceeded to tell her the exact same thing as she did Stephen. While Elena and Caroline had not been friends as small children, she did know about the shadows; or as Elena called them, Caroline’s childhood imaginary friends. Elena also knew of Caroline’s fears of her own mind and how she was terrified of actually going insane. “I’m actually surprised that it was not all over town that I freaked out. Typically, it is.”

Before Elena could respond, there was a knock on the door telling them that their pizza was delivered. Caroline stood from the couch and went to the door, paid and brought their food and drinks back to the couch. Elena was already pouring the vodka into the glasses, giving them each more than she probably should, before mixing it with the soda and handing the glass to Caroline.

“Okay, first things first, you’re not sleeping, are you?”

“No. Stephen said that same thing.”

“So, you’re tired. That explains the shadows thing. It’s not because you’re crazy Caroline. You’re tired and stressed. You need a break. Maybe this getting fired is a blessing in disguise. Take some time off and recuperate.” Elena told her with the smile only Elena could provide. “If you need anything, Damon and I will be more than happy to help.”

Caroline nodded and looked down at her glass, taking a drink. In her mind she was already planning; not really wanting to accept charity from Damon of all people. She had some savings that she accumulated over the last year and a half; perks of not having to pay rent or a mortgage. There was also the small fund Bill had left behind when he died. Most of it went to pay for college but there was a tiny bit left over that would help if Caroline needed money.

“Maybe.” Caroline replied as she took a bite of the pizza. “What was the second thing?”

“Oh. Yeah.” Elena smiled. “The reason no one around town knows about what happened at the paper, which by the way; I’m insulted you didn’t tell me about, but it’s because Hayley is no longer in town. You know she had it out for you and would tell anyone and everyone how crazy you were and how you made her life horrible.”

“I was nothing but nice to her.” Caroline muttered. From the moment that Caroline moved from New Orleans to Mystic Falls when she was four years old, Hayley had it out for Caroline. At first it was pure jealousy of having to share, not only her father but the attention as well. That and Caroline could admit that she was not the easiest person to share a room with. Even as a child, Caroline was particular about everything, fussy at best, and she was plagued with nightmares from witnessing her mother being murdered. Hayley made it a point, especially when they got older, to tell everyone what a freak Caroline was.

“I know but I think the fact that she slept with Tyler while you were caring for your dad didn’t win her any points with the town either. The town kind of realized at that point that she wasn’t everything she pretended to be.” Caroline nodded, remembering the fallout of Hayley’s actions. She had never seen Stephen look so disappointed in his daughter before. Tyler, not being able to face the town’s scorn of cheating on his girlfriend right after her dad died, moved to Atlanta to be with Hayley. “I can’t believe they are getting married.”

“Yep. Tell me about it.” Caroline muttered, knowing that there was a chance Hayley and Tyler would make a trip to Mystic Falls to see Tyler’s mother before the wedding. Perhaps Caroline would conveniently be in New Orleans with Cami or something. “I can’t believe you used to be friends with her.”

“Yeah, well. I was an idiot.” Elena muttered, drowning her glass before topping it off with another; filling Caroline’s in the process. “We were the best of friends until my parents died and then suddenly, I was too depressing. I mean I guess watching your parents drown at seventeen took too much attention away from her. Remember how mad she was when we became friends?”

Caroline gave Elena a small smile and reached out and took Elena’s hand in hers. While Elena had always been kind to Caroline, she had been close with Hayley before Caroline even moved in with them. When Hayley would say something mean about Caroline, it was always Elena who talked down her best friend while Caroline would just complain to Stefan about how mean her stepsister was. When Elena’s parents got caught in a flashflood and died; Elena trapped in the back of the car, Hayley suddenly found her best friend uninteresting.

Yet, Caroline understood what Elena was going through. Even though she was four years old, Caroline had flashes of watching her mother die; it was something that would not leave her. Elena was distraught over her parent’s death and Caroline was the only one who could actually sympathize. Perhaps it was morbid, but the two teenaged girls had bonded over the death of their parents and it created a bond that Caroline had not had before; even with Stefan who she had been best friends with since the age of six.

Caroline was even willing to get over the fact that Elena was at the time dating her ex-boyfriend Damon; and that was not at all a small thing for Caroline to get over.

“Here is to Hayley Marshall.” Caroline started, raising her glass; the effects of the alcohol slowly warming her body. “May her marriage to Tyler be miserable and Carol Lockwood be the worst mother-in-law possible.” Elena snorted; sending her vodka and soda up her nose, leading to a coughing fit. “What it is true! Carol Lockwood would be a monster of a mother-in-law. Remember me at eighteen, bemoaning the thought that she would one day be my kid’s only grandmother?”

“I do remember that! The joys of being eighteen again.” Elena told her through a laugh. She picked up her glass and clinked it against Caroline’s; the drinks inside them slushing about. “To Hayley Marshall. The worst best friend a girl could ask for and an even worst sister. Cheers!”

“Cheers!” Both women took long drinks before Elena reached for another slice of pizza. “Speaking of weddings. So, when are you and Stefan getting married? June? You always wanted a June wedding. As your maid of honor, I must inform you that Stefan is most defiantly going to be a groomzilla.”

“Bite me.” Caroline snapped, knowing that Elena was just kidding with her. “Ugh, I can’t believe he proposed. Like SERIOUSLY! Who follows up a breakup with a marriage proposal!? I’ve been trying for months to tell him to leave me alone! How does that compute to, ‘I think she wants to get married!’”

“No idea.” Elena said honestly. “When you sent me that text message, I immediately called Damon to ask what the hell his brother was thinking. He had no idea that Stefan was even considering proposing. If he knew he would have talked him out of it. Everyone could see that the relationship between the two of you was just not working.”

“I wish I did before I wasted three years of my life on him.” Caroline muttered bitterly. “I mean, we had been such good friends that I thought we owed each other the chance. It was like nothing changed. We were still Stefan and Caroline, best friends only now we were having sex. Which honestly, wasn’t all that great.” Caroline’s hand went to her mouth and her eyes wide; Elena laughing hysterically. “I can’t believe I just said that!”

“But you meant it!”

“Oh, absolutely. He was so awful. Like, okay, Stefan loved it when I gave him head. Which is fine except the fact that he never reciprocated.” Elena smirked and nodded; clearly knowing all of this because Caroline has told her all of this before. “And he really was a two-pump chump. I mean come on; a girl needs a little foreplay every once in a while.”

“He could not be that bad?” Elena stated and Caroline tossed her a look. Elena had a crush on Stefan way back in the early days of high school, but it never went anywhere; seeing that she was dating Matthew Donovan at the time. She then almost immediately started dating Damon when she ended it with Matt; missing any chance at a relationship she might have had with Stefan. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.” Caroline muttered with a scowl on her face, her thoughts running away with her. Everything had been going well for her for a few months once she was able to convince Stefan that she didn’t want to be with him. It wasn’t that Stefan was violent, mean or anything of the sort, it was just that their relationship felt forced and rutted. She regretted ever getting involved with him because now, she lost her best friend in the process. That is what hurt the most; not the loss of a boyfriend, but the loss of her best friend.

“Caroline?” Elena’s voice sliced through the fog and Caroline snapped her attention to her friend. Elena wore a worried expression and had her hand on forearm. “You okay? You really zoned out there for a second. It was like you didn’t even hear me.”

“Yeah. Sorry. Just, tired.”

“You’re really not sleeping, are you?” Elena asked and her tone filled with sympathy. Caroline shook her head. “Five years is a big anniversary, especially when it is the death of someone you love.” Elena reached over and poured more vodka into their glasses and handed it over to Caroline before raising her own glass. “To Bill Forbes, a good father with zero fashion sense.”

“To Dad.”

The evening progressed in similar fashion until everything in the room seemed blurry and hilarious. It did not take much longer for the two of them to be completely drunk. They both knew where the night was heading the moment Elena held up that bottle of vodka. Sometimes a girl’s night is in order to get over a really bad day; or months in Caroline’s situation.

By the time the sun had fully set, and the night sky hung over them, the room was spinning, and Elena was confused as to why Caroline suddenly had a twin. Elena crawled onto the couch and laid her head down; mirror the position that Caroline had earlier in the day. Caroline sunk down to the ground, her back resting against the leg of her sofa and gazed around the room; everything seemingly quite blurred.

Something out of the corner of her eye caught Caroline’s attention; tuning out Elena’s snoring as she did so. In the corner of her living she saw them. They were small but she knew it was them. She could tell how they moved and for a moment. She thought they were blinking at her. She thought for a moment that they would spread across the wall, as they always had in the past, but they remained in the corner; waiting.

Caroline started off into the corner as though she was transfixed on the shadows. In her ear she could hear their whispers. Their voices were faint and nowhere near as strong as they were when she was younger. For a long time, they had not spoken to her; not until last week in the middle of the workday. Just like then, Caroline felt as though she were talking to her, ushering her forward; begging her to come and play with them. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to reach out with her outstretched hand and touch them; just for a moment.

_“Caroline, I need you to listen to me. Okay? You are never to play with the shadows. Do you understand me? Never play with the shadows. They are not your friends.”_

Cami’s voice sounded in the back of her mind like a sledgehammer knocking down a brick wall. Caroline sucked in a deep breath and snapped herself out of it. She clawed at the wooden floor of her living room and slowly laid down against the cold floor; a welcoming feeling against the early September heat. She let her head roll on the ground, her eyes watching as the shadows grew bigger and swayed across the ceiling. Perhaps it was the alcohol, the shadows appeared stronger

“Caroline.” The shadows whispered; their faint voices sounded loud against the drumming in her head. They repeated her name over and over again. She knew it was the vodka, but Caroline did not have the energy to fight the voices. She just let them speak to her and she didn’t bother tuning them out like her aunt always instructed her too. She watched them twirl and dancing; seeming pleased with her attention. “Caroline. Caroline. Come play with us Caroline.”

“Caroline! Elena!” A pounding at her front door made the shadows scatter; retreating back to their corner. Caroline pulled herself from the floor, nearly falling as she did so and made her way to her front door. She wobbled as she walked and had to brace herself against the wall, stopping her from hitting the ground. In the back of her mind, Caroline knew that there was a good chance she was not going to remember that night. “Open up, Caroline. Its Damon.”

“I’m coming, you asshat.” Caroline yelled, knowing that her words were slurring. She opened the front door wide to see Damon staring at her with an amused look on his face; leaning against the archway of the door with his arms crossed. He was tall but not overly-so. Had jet black hair and was wearing a black t-shirt that he had once confessed to her in a drunken stupor that it made him feel cool. He had piercing blue eyes that at one-point Caroline had thought were beautiful but now she just found them irritating.

“Well aren’t you the trashed little barbie.” Damon mocked and his links curled into a smirk. His eyes traced over her and Caroline could only imagine what her appearance looked like. She was a mess, she knew that, but she really did not care; about her appearance or what Damon thought.

“Bite me.” Caroline snapped but it lacked malice. She pointed towards her living room and stepped back from the door, allowing him to step across the threshold. She wobbled on her feet and nearly stumbled. Damon, being sober, caught her easily and stood her up straight. “Thanks. I think. Your princess is sleeping. Shhh.”

“Lacking on comebacks there, Blondie. I’m a little disappointed.” Once he was sure Caroline was not about to collapse onto the ground, Damon made his way into her living room and knelt down by the couch to look at Elena; she was completely out of it, snoring rather loudly. “Yup. She is out cold.”

“We had a lot of drink, and it was fun.”

“I can see that.” Damon’s voice was amused as he stood up straight. He walked back over to Caroline and wrapped one of her arms around his shoulder. “Come on Blondie, time for bed.”

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you to bed.”

“What! No, you’re not!”

“Not like that!” Damon shot back at her, rolling his eyes. Slowly he navigated her towards the stairway and started helping her climb them. She stumbled as she went, and Damon caught her easily; preventing her from hurting herself. “I promise I have honorable intentions. I don’t feel like listening to Elena complain how I left her best friend drunk and helpless. So, I will get you into bed where you can sleep this off.”

“I’m not helpless.” Caroline protested, pointing a finger in Damon’s face. He sighed in annoyance at her antics, mainly because it was causing him difficulty getting her up the stairs. “I am a strong and independent woman. I do not need a man to take care of me! I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Thank you very much!”

“Trust me when I say this, Caroline,” Damon replied as he wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned her into him. He slowly led her down the hallway towards her bedroom. “You are by far the most independent person I know. It is actually part of your personality that is the least annoying.”

“Hey! I’m vulnerable! Be nice to me!” Damon rolled his eyes and guided Caroline to her bed, that she sat down upon in a very ungraceful manner. “I got fired today. It really sucked. Like, I tried so hard, ya know? I tried so hard and it was never enough. And I was good at my job. Finding other people’s mistakes, I’m your girl! Ya know? Budget cuts? No, they just think I’m crazy. And then Stefan!”

“Here we go..” Damon muttered as he tried to guide her to lay down on the bed.

“He proposed! Who does that?!”

“I did once. Had great success with it.” Damon told her in a mocking tone while Caroline bunched her nose up in a displeased manner; which caused Damon to laugh at her. “Look, if it makes you feel any better, I told Stefan today that he was a dumb ass. He needs to cut his losses and move on. We all saw the writing on the wall when it came to your relationship; everyone except my brother.”

“Well, he is stupid.” Caroline muttered and Damon nodded in agreement. Even in her drunken state, it did not escape Caroline’s notice that this was the first real conversation her and Damon had in a very long time. It was rare that they were alone with one another, typically either Elena or Stefan were with them. It wasn’t that Caroline hated him, he had just bruised her ego a long time ago and that was hard for her to get over. “And he has stupid hair.”

That made Damon crack up hysterically to the point that it made Caroline’s head hurt. She scrunched her nose up even more and put her hands over her ears. His laughter was louder than she expected it to be and she knew that part of that was due to her drunken state. She gave Damon the middle finger which only made him laugh harder.

“I’m so telling him you said that. Get some sleep.” Damon stood and tucked Caroline under the covers and ensured that she was not going anywhere. He walked towards the door and shut the light off. He made his way to shut her bedroom door but stopped when she called his name.  
“Damon.”

“Yeah Blondie?”

“Thank you, for you know, being a better husband to Elena than you a boyfriend to me.” Caroline slurred and Damon paused. She could feel his blue eyes looking her over and wondered what it was that went through his mind. Caroline was never good a reading Damon. She had always thought that he was a jerk, but she did not miss the way he looked at Elena. “You really love her, and I appreciate that.”

“I’m not that asshole of a seventeen-year-old boy you dated anymore, Caroline.” Damon whispered to her and for a moment, his face went soft; gone was bravado that she always associated with him and even though she was seeing double, Caroline knew that he really did care about Elena. “And you’re not that shallow and self-centered fifteen-year-old girl anymore either. We grew up. We would have thought?”

“Who would have thought.” Caroline echoed and Damon finally shut the door, leaving her alone. She listened as his foot-step head down her hallway and creek on the floorboards of her stairs. She could hear him gathering Elena off the couch and the closing of her front door when Damon finally was able to get his wife out of the door.

Caroline shifted in her bed in time to see the shadows slide under her bedroom door. She blinked, hoping that they were nothing more than a drunk induced dream, but she knew better. She knew that they were real, even if they didn’t speak to anyone else. Stephen and her father always told her it was her imagination. Cami told her to block them out and pretend that they were not there; but they didn’t hear them. Not like she did.

“Caroline.” The whispered, gliding across her bedroom wall. They danced across the wall and onto her ceiling until the lingered just above her bed. Their shaped morphed into a hand with pointed nails; crooking their finger, begging her to come to them. Caroline groaned and tried to bury her head into the pillows; but it was useless, she could still feel them. “The time is coming, Caroline. You’ll play with us soon.”

“Leave me alone.” Caroline muttered, shutting her eyes tightly. She did everything she could to tune them; pretending that they were not there, speaking to her. The effects of the alcohol took over her body and pulled her into a deep sleep; the shadows inching closer and closer as she did so. After a second, they scattered as though they were terrified of something. Moments before sleep took her, Caroline swore she saw a man lean over her and kiss her forehead.

“Goodnight Sweetheart.”

_“Caroline, dinner.” Cami’s voice sounded from inside the small creole cottage. Twelve-year-old Caroline stood from the small swing on the porch and went inside; leaving the summer heat of New Orleans behind. Walking into the kitchen, she saw Cami fluttering around the table; her flowery dress swaying around her knees as she went. Cami looked up and sent Caroline a sweet smile, but her eyes narrowed in concern after a moment. “What is it?”_

_“Nothing. Just my scar is itching again.” Caroline stated in an irritated tone. She reached behind her, trying to itch that spot on her back that she was never able to reach. “It has been doing that all summer since I arrived. I get Louisiana is hot and all, but it is not that different from Virginia.”_

_Cami sat down the dish that she was holding and walked over to her niece. She pushed Caroline’s hair to the side and looked at the scar. Caroline could feel Cami’s hand freeze against her skin; on the exact spot Caroline knew that her scar was located. Slowly, Cami’s finger reached out and slowly traced the odd pattern of her scar; a scar that no one wanted to tell her how she got it._

_“I think I have a cream or something that will help. Wait here. Just…don’t touch it.” Cami all but glided away and Caroline heard her aunt climb the stairs faster than was typical of her. Caroline moved towards the hallway that connected the living room with the kitchen and stood before the large mirror that hung on the wall. Caroline turned her back towards it and looked over her shoulder._

_The scar was burning bright red._

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

Caroline shot up in bed, eyes looking around, searching for the source of the sound that pulled her from her dream; a dream that was quickly fading from her mind. Her heart was racing; beating furiously against her chest and her eyes scanning the room. After a moment she saw her phone on her dresser and she could have sworn that she left it downstairs the night before. A brief memory of a man looming over her in the night sprang to mind.

She shook the thought off. Damon must have brought the phone up after she drifted off and before he left with Elena. The phone started ringing again and Caroline pulled herself from the bed. Her pants were tossed on the ground, she must have taken them off at some point during the night. She walked towards her dresser, her stomach rolling as she did so; evidence of her hangover accompanied by the massive headache pounding in her ears.

She picked up her phone and saw that it was an unknown number that had called her two times in a row. She looked down confused at the missed call and a moment later, a notification popped up that she had a voice message. Caroline unlocked her phone and brought the message up; pressing the phone to her ear.

_“Caroline, this is Jane-Anne Deveraux. I’m not sure if you remember me but I’m a friend of your aunt Cami.” Jane-Anne’s voice trailed off for a second. “Honey, I’m sorry to leave this on your voice mail but your aunt passed away last night.”_


	3. Devil's Tango

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW

The small creole cottage looked just as it had in Caroline’s memory. It had white siding, blue shutters and a big porch on the front. The swing that Caroline had spent the majority of her summers on was still hanging from the hooks in the ceiling. She could see the cracks on the porch railings and how the paint seemed to be peeling from the shutters. It made Caroline realize how long it had been since she had been to New Orleans.

She used to spend every summer with her aunt, mainly to escape Hayley’s constant petty revenge schemes and whispers. She couldn’t explain it but sleeping in her aunt’s home always made the nightmares go away. Cami had always been loving and kind to her; listening to her problems as though they actually mattered. It was Cami she called the night she lost her virginity to Damon and Cami listening to her cry about how much she regretted it.

When she caught Tyler in bed with Hayley after her father died, Caroline fled Mystic Falls for New Orleans and ran into her aunt’s welcoming arms. She spent weeks there until the New Year and she returned to Virginia to start her first year of college in the spring; having put it off for a few months to care for her father.

That was the last time she had stepped foot in Louisiana. It wasn’t that she didn’t try and make the attempt, it was just that Cami always seemed to be busy after that and Caroline’s life got in the way. They still talked but it was not as much as it once was. After her father died, it was like Cami pulled away and standing in front of the small house that Cami had left her, made Caroline realize how little she had seen of her aunt in recent years.

Caroline pulled her duffle bag from the back seat and made her way up the porch stairs, listening to them creak as she did so. She pulled the small welcome mat up and pulled the key out from it, Jane-Anne told her she stashed it there. She unlocked the door and let herself inside. The living room looked as it always had with the exception of an updated television and what seemed like a new couch.

Caroline sat her bag down and looked around the room. She turned on a few lights in the small house, gazing at her aunt’s belongings. It struck her how much she had loved New Orleans. It always felt like her safe haven away from the mundane life in Mystic Falls. Even though she would always view the small town in Virginia home, there was a part of her that would always love New Orleans.

Caroline checked her phone and saw that it had taken her longer to reach the city than anticipated and figured it would be best to begin packing up Cami’s belongings in the morning. Doing so now would only stress Caroline out more than she already was. The loss of Cami hit her hard mainly because it was so unexpected.

A stroke was not something Caroline assumed would be her aunt’s downfall.

A sharp knock on the door pulled Caroline from her musings. She walked back over to the door and opened it wide. A small woman with jet black hair and pale skin stood in front of her. She wore faded jeans, a tank top and a series of necklaces that were tucked underneath her shirt. Beside her was a young girl, no older than five, was clutching the woman’s hand hand. She had the same dark black hair, but it was curly, and her eyes seemed wider than the woman’s.

“Caroline? Caroline Forbes?” The woman asked and Caroline narrowed her eyes. She was not expecting company. She looked down at the little girl, who was hiding behind the woman’s legs but could not help but peaking up at Caroline. “I’m sorry. I’m Sophie Deveraux. You spoke to my mom? Jane-Anne? We live right across the street and we saw you pull in. I just wanted to offer my condolences and see if you need anything.”

“Thank you. I just arrived and haven’t really started doing anything yet.” Caroline gave Sophie a small smile and looked down at the little girl who was still hiding behind Sophie’s legs. “Hi. I’m Caroline. What’s your name?”

“Monique.” The girl whispered, tossing Caroline a small smile Monique looked up at Sophie and then back at Caroline. Her wide eyes traveled over her shoulder into the open doorway; Monique froze. “Do you see them? They are in your house.”

“What are?”

“The shadows.” The hair on the back of Caroline’s neck stood up and as though she couldn’t help herself, Caroline looked over her shoulder. She looked through the living room and down the dark hallway that Caroline knew lead to the kitchen. The darkness moved in an inhuman way that made her want to run in the opposite direction. Something was lingering inside the house.

“Monique.” Sophie chased and looked back at Caroline, who turned to look back at Sophie, wondering if turning her back on the dark hallway was wise. “Sorry about my daughter. She has been having nightmares recently about something she calls the shadows. Cami actually was talking with her and assured me that it is nothing more than typical childhood imaginations. Perks living next to a psychologist, I suppose.”

“Yeah. Of course. That was Cami. Always willing to help.”

“Yeah. She was a great neighbor.” Sophie looked down at Monique who was still staring at the hallway with terrified eyes. “Well, like I said, if you need anything, we are right across the street. I know you’re only here for a few days but don’t be afraid to knock. And again, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Caroline replied and gave Monique a small wave as Sophie reached down and picked her up. Monique wrapped her arms around her mother’s. Sophie gave a small wave before walking away. Caroline watched them slowly cross the street, Monique staring at Caroline with wide and fearful eyes as they went. Caroline knew that the little girl was not looking at her, but instead what was possibly over her shoulder.

Caroline closed the front door and slowly turned around. Putting on foot in front of the other, Caroline walked towards the hallway. She gazed into the darkness and she swore she could see them moving. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her mind was working on overdrive. She reached out and touched the wall; searching for a light switch that she knew was there. Once she found it, she flicked it on, and light appeared in the hallway, but Caroline did not miss how the shadows scattered away as though the light burned them.

In that moment, Caroline was conflicted. She knew she had seen the shadows that day in her office and could hear their whispers. She remembered them from her childhood and how she would play with them; thinking they were her friends. As she grew older, the less and less she saw of them. She did not understand why they were coming back now; if they were there at all. Part of her wondered if she really was going crazy, if her mind was betraying her like Hayley always said it was. Yet, Monique saw them too. Caroline knew she could not take the word of a small child as evidence that these nightmare creatures that haunted her were real.

Shaking herself, Caroline turned and walked away from the hallway. She picked up her car keys, purse and phone and headed out the door; leaving the lights on as she went. She walked towards her car and sat inside it. She knew that she was being irrational. She knew that even if the shadows were real, she had been alone with them before and they never hurt her. Perhaps it was Cami’s death, but Caroline found that she could not be in that house just yet.

She wasn’t ready to start searching through her aunt’s belongings; especially alone and in the dark.

Deciding that she would begin in the morning, Caroline picked up her phone and searched for something close by to grab something to eat. She figured eating something and maybe having a drink would give her the courage to face the house again and start accepting that her aunt was gone. A small amount of guilt settled in the pit of her stomach at the thought. It had been a few weeks since she last spoke to Cami and years since she had visited. Caroline wished that she made more of an effort to see her; especially now that she was gone.

Caroline drove through the small neighborhood and headed towards the French Quarter. She found a parking garage and paid the fee in order to park her car. She did not know how long she would be out but knew that it would be awhile before she was able to find the courage to go back to that house. As she weaved through the small crowed walking down Bourbon Street, Caroline thought on Cami and the clawing feeling she had inside her. She remembered her soft smiles, kind words and ability to always listen to her when she needed someone. Stephen was great and a constant in her life, but Cami was that one woman figure she had.

Cami was the closest connection Caroline had to her mother and now that connection was gone.

Caroline walked the few blocks until she found the small pub that served food and walked inside. She took a seat at the bar and looked over the menu when the bar tender handed her one. She figured that she would not be in New Orleans long and now would be the best time to eat her favorite Cajun cuisine. She ordered a bowel of gumbo and a glass of a dry white wine while hoping to eat in peace and gather enough courage to go back to the house. She scrolled through her phone until the waiter brought her food and drink to her.

“Well are you not the most delicious thing I’ve ever seen.” A voice sounded from beside Caroline and she turned her head. A tall, lanky man with light brown hair was peering at her with matching brown eyes. There was something about him that made Caroline freeze. Goosebumps graced her skin and she felt as though her heart lodged into her throat. “Tell me Darling, what is your name.”

“That is none of your business.”

“Come now, don’t be feisty.”

“Kol.” A harsh tone sounded from behind the man, Kol, and he turned his head. Caroline’s eyes traveled away from Kol to see another man glaring at him. He had curly blond hair, blue eyes and a strong jaw that appeared to be clenched. Immediately, Caroline felt herself relax. There was something familiar about the man, but she couldn’t quite place it. Caroline knew that if she would have met him before she would have remembered him. “Don’t you have something to deliver?”

A look passed between the two of them and Kol turned back to Caroline. His brown eyes looking her up and down as though she was a meal that he would enjoy eating. Caroline glared at him, ignoring that part of her brain that told her he was dangerous. Kol reached out and took Caroline’s hand and kissed the back of it. Her body freezing in terror as his lips pressed against her skin.

“It was a pleasure Darling.”

“Kol.” This time the words appeared to be through gritted teeth and Kol turned back to the other man. Kol turned and walked towards the man, patting him on the shoulder before making his way towards the other end of the bar. Caroline, not understanding what just transpired, turned back to the other man who was looking at her curiously.

“I apologize for my brother. He has zero manners and unfortunately, it makes keeping him from making a fool of himself difficult.” He smiled at her and dimples appeared on his cheeks. She started at him, trying to place where she had seen him before. She took a good look at him, but nothing seemed to be registering as to why he seemed so familiar. “May I sit?”

“Yeah. Of course.” The man took the seat beside her, gazing at her as he did so. Gone was the annoyance he had written over his face moments earlier and it was replaced with curiosity. While Kol had clearly set off warning bells, Caroline could not help but notice how his brother felt the exact opposite. He felt dangerous, Caroline was not that much of a fool, but she felt as though he wouldn’t hurt her. “I’m Caroline.”

“Klaus.” He smiled wider and held out his hand. Caroline griped his hand and she felt a tingle spread from her fingertips to her knuckles. Unlike Kol, Klaus did not bring her hand to his lips; something Caroline could not help but feel disappointed about. She felt herself flush under his intense eyes. Warning bells sounded in the back of her mind again, only this time they were sending mixed signals.

Klaus was dangerous.

Very, very dangerous.

Yet, she could tell that he had no intention of harming her. The gentle grip he had on her hand mixed with the curiosity that was sparking behind his eyes told Caroline that while this man clearly was capable of unspeakable things, he wouldn’t touch her. It was a gut feeling she had and perhaps it was unwise, but Caroline trusted that initial feeling.

“This is going to sound, strange but have we met before? I feel like I know you from somewhere.” Caroline asked and Klaus smiled widely at her. Blushing, Caroline reached for her glass of wine and took a big sip from it. Memories of the shadows and the reason she fled from her aunt’s home were slowly slipping from her mind. “Sorry, that was a little strange.”

“Sweetheart, if I was introduced to someone as beautiful as you, I’d remember.” Once again, Caroline felt her face heat up and Klaus seemed to enjoy the reaction; his smile grew wide, making his dimples more pronounced than they already were. He was attractive and Caroline couldn’t help but feel a stirring in the pit of her stomach at the sight of him; reminding her that it had been well over four months since she last had sex.

“Wow! That is a bold pick-up line! And here I thought it was your brother who was the one who wanted to pick up a random chick in a bar.” Caroline teased him and Klaus laughed, a sound that echoed through Caroline’s bones. His laugh almost sounded haunting and inhuman, but Caroline could not help but feel drawn to it, as though it was casting some kind of spell over her. “I take it you’re not from around here. Your accent kind of gives you away.”

“No. I am not.” Klaus replied, smiling again and this time Caroline thought his teeth seemed a bit too white. Klaus motioned for the bar tender to refill Caroline’s glass. She was going to protest, having only intended to have one drink, but she found that she wanted to continue talking with Klaus; not ready to end the night just yet. The bar tender filled her wine glass while Klaus asked for one for himself. “I’m in town on business. It’s my last night her actually. I leave in the morning.”

“And your brother?”

“Kol? Oh, he was just in town with me, helping me with a special project. He actually leaves tonight. You caught him on his way out. He doesn’t travel much.” Klaus replied and there was something odd about what Klaus had said. Why would they not leave together? Why would Kol not stay the extra night or why would Klaus not leave with his brother? Unless they lived in different places? Caroline decided not to push the issue. She didn’t know Klaus nor his brother, so she decided to leave it at that. “And what of you Caroline? Are you from around here?”

“Yes and no. I was born in New Orleans. Moved when I was little, but I used to come back almost every summer to spend it with my aunt.” Caroline told him, leaving the finer details to a minimum. She took another sip of her wine, ignoring the now cooling gumbo in front of her. “I’m actually in town because my aunt recently passed away and I’m going through her belongs. That and her funeral is in a few days.”

“I’m sorry. That must be hard.” Klaus told her in a soft voice. He reached over and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. His thumb tracing over her knuckles. Caroline was unsure if it was the wine, but the room seemed to be a bit dimmer than before and the room held a slight chill that Caroline did not notice before. “Were the two of you close?”

“Once yes but the last few years she kind of pulled away.” Caroline took another drink, this time bigger than the previous. Thinking on her aunt, on top of everything else was painful. She knew that drinking was not the answer, but it seemed to numb the pain, even only for a moment. “To be honest, I’m having a crappy go of things. I got fired. I turned down a marriage proposal. It’s coming up on the anniversary of my dad’s death and then my aunt dies of a stroke.” And the shadows, she couldn’t forget that the shadows were back. “But things can only go up from here? Right? I got to stay positive and look at the bright side…once I find one.”

Klaus looked at her as though he was really seeing her for the first time. There was a flash in his eyes, turning them from a beautiful shade of blue to gold for moment. Caroline blinked and his eyes returned to normal. The bemused expression was replaced with one of curiosity. Klaus turned towards the bar tender, ordering an entire bottle of champagne alongside two glasses. He handed the bar tender a wad of cash for not only the champagne but her meal as well.

“Do you trust me?”

“I don’t even know you.”

“We can change that.” Klaus all but purred. “Everything may seem bleak right now but I ’m going to let you in on a little secret. There’s a whole world out there waiting for you, great cities and art, and music and genuine beauty, and you can have all of it. You can have a thousand days filled with light and darkness. All you have to do is take it.” Klaus leaned forward and Caroline could feel his breath on her lips. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind. She should turn away and go back to the house. She should start going through everything, sorting what needed to stay and what could be donated. “Come with me. There is something I want to show you.”

“Okay.” Caroline finished that last bit of her wine, paid for her meal and took Klaus’s hand. He pulled her out of the bar and did not let go of her hand. They weaved through Bourbon Street, passing dozens of people as they went. The sound of jazz flowed around them and Caroline could smell the spices from the creole dishes but all she could focus on was Klaus’s hand in hers. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Klaus flashed her that impossibly beautiful smile again. After ten minutes of walking, Caroline found herself standing before a large building made of a dusty rose-colored brick. It wrapped around the curve of the street and had balconies that covered the building. Klaus went to an iron gate and opened easily; as though it wasn’t even locked. He held out his hand, beckoning her forward. Klaus lead her inside, and Caroline’s mouth dropped. “Welcome to The Abattoir.”

“It’s beautiful.” Caroline whispered, looking around. She was standing in the middle of what looked like a courtyard. All around her were balconies made of iron. A stairwell off to the side leading up to another level. Ivy weaved around the balconies, as though no one had taken care of the building in a very long time. A stone fountain stood in the middle of the courtyard, intricate carvings on the stone that Caroline could not understand. The furniture was old, dated and appeared to have several layers of dust on them. There was an odd smell of sulfur that hung in the air and the sound from the street outside died away; almost as though the courtyard was soundproof. “Wait, isn’t abattoir another word for slaughterhouse?”

“It is.” Klaus told her and she could hear the chuckle behind his words, as though he was amused by the connection. He sat the glasses on the wooden table that was off to the side and opened the bottle of champagne. He poured two glasses and brought one to her, taking a long drink of his own as he did.

“You’re not like, some serial killer and you use this as your burial ground? Right?”

“I’m not a serial killer. I promise.” Klaus’s dimples became pronounced again and Caroline took the glass from him. “You could say that my family owns this building. There are several like it around the world and I always found this one in particular to be beautiful. My brother and I were staying here while we completed our project. I thought that you would like to see it. The first stop on your way to genuine beauty.”

“It certainly is beautiful.” She looked around again, drinking her champagne as she went. She could tell that Klaus was watching her, her body was burning at the thought of his eyes on her. Maybe it was the alcohol talking or then tension she had been feeling for the last few days, but Caroline could not help but admit that it was nice to be admired by a man. Caroline sat her purse and phone down on the table, allowing them to sit and be forgotten. “Why did you want to show it to me?”

“I thought that would be obvious.” Klaus replied, an amused smirk dancing on his lips and Caroline could not help but blush. She knew the moment she took his hand back in the bar what he wanted and ignored that part of her that told her to run. There was something alluring about him. He would be gone in the morning, she knew that and maybe for once she just wanted to feel something that was not connected to the misery she had been feeling recently.

“You’re bold. Perhaps I’m not that kind of girl.”

“Are you?” Caroline didn’t respond. She was not one who slept with a man she knew less than an hour. She was not one who would leave with someone after a brief conversation but there was something so familiar about Klaus. He approached her and added more champagne to her glass. Klaus filled his own and raised his glass as though he was about to give a toast. “To Caroline, may this be the beginning of a bright future.”

“To a bright future.” Caroline agreed and clinked her glass with his. She took a sip of the champagne, never taking her eyes off of him. A thousand thoughts were going through her mind. Klaus was attractive and her body was responding to the ideas of what he could do to her. It was reckless and dangerous, but Caroline wanted something for herself that she could look back on and smile.

She was tired. She had driven from Virginia to Louisiana and was preparing to bury her aunt in a few days. She was going to go through every belonging Cami ever had and it would wreck her. She knew this but before her stood a man who clearly desired her. Caroline knew that he was after her body and wanted nothing else. Klaus would leave in the morning and she would never see him again. Could she have sex with a man she only just met?

Caroline only slept with three other people in her life. The first being Damon; as a young fifteen-year-old girl who was inexperienced, giving her virginity to her boyfriend who she spent more time fighting with than actually having a relationship with. It was a regret she still had. She was far too young and wished she had waited.

Then there was Tyler, the man who at one point she was convinced she was going to marry. They had plans and Caroline remembered all the times they would sneak around in order to have sex. A memory of the Miss Mystic Pageant came to mind and how she had sex with him while they announced Elena as the winner. Even now, knowing that Tyler betrayed her in the worst way possible, Caroline could not regret him.

She did regret Stefan. Sex with Stefan felt like an obligation; something that needed to be done in her relationship. Never once did Caroline have the dreams she held tightly with Tyler. She never imagined what it would be like to build a future with him but missed the friendship that they once had built. Part of her wished she could rebuild that friendship but then again, the memory of her relationship with him soured any chance of rekindling it.

The question that burned in her mind was whether or not she wanted to add a fourth name to that list. Sex with Klaus would be nothing more than seeking pleasure in the arms of a stranger. A stress relief and something Caroline desperately wanted to feel. Klaus stepped forward as though he was reading her mind. He sat down his champagne glass. He moved to stand behind her and placed his hands on her hips, his lips kissing the side of her neck. Caroline moaned at the contact.

“The choice is yours Caroline. I will not force you to do something you’re uncomfortable with.” His hands traced light streaks down her arm; sending chills down her body. She leaned back into him, knowing what she wanted. “It changes nothing. You can walk out this door and I’ll keep my word. Or, you can let me show you the rest of the Abattoir.” Caroline turned to look up at him and gazed at him; that feeling of danger pinged in the back of her mind again, but she found that she did not want to listen to it. “The choice is yours. Stay and I’ll make you feel things that you did not think were possible. I ask nothing in return.”

“Show me.” Caroline whispered, turning in Klaus’s arms. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes as though he expected her to turn away. Caroline could not help but compare him to the terror she felt each time she saw the shadows gazing at her and between the two of them, Klaus made her feel safe. She knew it was a reckless decision, but she wanted to feel him. She raised herself up on the balls of her feet and kissed his lips lightly.

Klaus’s lips were soft as Caroline placed a few pecks against them. He parted them, allowing his tongue to slip out of them and beg entrance into her mouth. Caroline gave him access and he deepened the kiss. She pressed her body to his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Klaus’s fingers dug into the fabric of her jeans. Their tongues danced around one another until Caroline found she needed to breathe; breaking the kiss. Their eyes locked and that curiosity that had been in Klaus’s eyes at the bar appeared again. A decision behind made behind them that Caroline found she was not privy too.

“Come with me.” Klaus pulled out of her embrace and linked their fingers together. He pulled her towards the iron staircase and slowly they made their way up them. Caroline could not focus on the decor of the Abattoir, only feeling how the palm of his hand felt pressed against hers. They passed paintings, statues and bookshelves that if Caroline paid attention to, she might have found them strange; markings hidden the canvases and on the leather bounds of the books almost glowing as they walked towards a wooden archway on one of the balconies. Klaus lead her through the threshold and into what Caroline assumed was a bedroom. There was a large window that overlooked the street below; but Caroline was too focused on Klaus to notice that the view was not one of the French Quarter.

The room was large and had the walls were made of the same dusty brick as the courtyard. Expensive looking artwork hung on the walls and hanging from the ceiling was an impressive chandelier that in the back of her mind, make Caroline questions what kind of diamonds shined that brightly. A large bed was pressed against the back wall. The wooden headboard had designs carved into it that Caroline could not make out. The comforter was the purest white Caroline had ever seen; making her wonder how it stayed clean.

Klaus came up behind her and pulled against him, so her back was resting against his chest. His hands squeezed her hips gently before sliding up the sides of her waist to her shoulders; pushing the light jacket she had been wearing to the ground. He pushed her blonde curls to one side and leaned down to kiss her pulse point that caused her to moan.

His hand gave light flutters across the skin that was just above her jeans. Klaus fingers pushed the ends of her shirt up over her stomach before pulling it completely of her head. He tossed the shirt to the ground and went back to kissing her neck. Caroline reached behind her and gripped his blonde curls, tossing her head to the side to give him better access to his neck. Klaus drew strange circles and designed on her skin with his fingertips that Caroline could have sworn that they almost burned.

Klaus reached behind her and unhooked the clasp of her bra, allowing it to hang loose on her chest. Caroline removed her hands from his hair in order to take it off of her and returned her fingers to his curls; pulling his lips from her pulse point and brought them into a searing kiss. Klaus’s hands moved to her breasts and palmed them both. Caroline moaned into his mouth has his forefinger and thumb pinched her nipples.

Caroline turned in in his arms and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself to him; her erect nipples touching his Henley covered chest. Their tongues mingled together again while Klaus’s hands pulled at the buttons on her jeans. Knowing what he wanted, Caroline kicked off her shoes and Klaus broke the kiss. He dropped to his knees as he yanked her jeans down over hips and pulled them down her long legs. Caroline stepped out of them while Klaus kissed the skin above the edges of her panties, his tongue dipping under the fabric.

“Klaus.” Caroline whimpered and she could hear him chuckle. He nipped at her skin, leaving a delicious bruise behind. His teeth took the lace fabric between them and slowly brought them down her hips. Caroline stepped out of them when they hit the around. Klaus took in her completely naked body before him, making Caroline realize that he had not taken off a single stich of clothing.

She should have felt vulnerable, self-conscious and exposed, but she didn’t. The way Klaus was looking over her body as though it was a work of art made Caroline feel powerful, desired and passionate. She felt the warmth spread through her body and the heat pool between her legs. As though he could smell her arousal, Klaus growled a deep and almost monstrous growl; one that echoed to Caroline’s very core.

“ _Mea_.” Klaus whispered in a language that Caroline did not understand. She assumed that it was his native tongue from wherever he had been born. Klaus kissed the patch of skin right above her center; just shy of where Caroline wanted to feel him. She whimpered, needing the friction that he was denying her. “ _Ego autem mark. Scelero onto vestry me ossa mea. Anima mea sicut et ego dici tibi.”_

Klaus moved her leg, throwing it over his shoulder and took a long lick of her center. Caroline cried out Klaus’s name. He moved one hand to hold her hips steady while the other parted her lips, allowing his tongue easier access to her clit. His finger traced the outside of her entrance before inserting one finger in slowly and then another. His lips sucked on her clit while his finger’s thrusted in and out of her.

“Klaus! Yes! Don’t stop! Yes!” Caroline cried out as her hands gripped the back of his head; her nails digging into this scalp. Klaus moaned into her clit at the feeling of her nails against his head; sending vibrations through her body. Caroline could feel a coil in the pit of her stomach build and snap, sending her back arching and crying into the empty room.

As Caroline came down from her high, Klaus stood and pulled Caroline into a deep kiss; Caroline tasting herself on his lips. She moaned into his mouth as Klaus reached down and picked her up and Caroline wrapped her legs around his waist easily. She pressed her drenched core against the bulge that was straining through his jeans. Klaus groaned at the feel of him, hissing at the contact.

Klaus gently tossed her onto the bed, Caroline bouncing slightly and her laugh echoing off the walls. If Caroline had thought on it, her laugh sounded off and the echo in such a small place should not have been possible, but her mind could only focus on the fact that was Klaus was slowly taking off his shirt. Caroline’s eyes traced over his pale skin, the ripple of his chest and the look in his eyes as he pulled the belt buckle from his jeans.

His pants dropped onto a heap on the floor and he stepped out of them. Caroline took in the sight of his completely naked body and his fully erect penis. It was sizable and made the heat between her legs pool even more. While her other lovers had been fine in the terms of size, Klaus was far larger than what she was used to. She bit her lip and her eyes flickered up to his eyes; a flash of gold passed over his blue and a smirk played on his lips.

Klaus crawled onto the bed and Caroline laid against the white comforter, her blonde hair spread out against the pillow as though it was a crown. She spread her legs in order to make room for him, but Klaus just hoovered over her at first; and his eyes drank in her body. A chain that hung around his neck with a pendant of something she could not make out in front of her. Caroline gripped the necklace and pulled Klaus down for a kiss. The kiss was passionate, and Caroline felt his erection brush against her aching core. They both hissed at the contact. Klaus reached between them and gripped his erection, teasing her while coating himself with her juices.

“Please. I need you.” Caroline begged and Klaus just smirked at her. Slowly he pushed inside her, and Caroline’s head fell back, her body arching against him. She could hear Klaus groaned as he slid in. He hissed when he was fully seethed and rested against her pelvis. He rested for a moment and Caroline moved her hips, trying to get him to move. “Move. Fuck me. Now.”

“As you wish Sweetheart.” Klaus slipped out of her and then roughly thrusted back inside her. Caroline cried out when he hit that spot right inside her. Over and over again Klaus thrusted into her at a brutal pace. The bed banged against the wall behind them and could hear the creaking of the springs beneath them.

“Yes! Klaus! Harder! Don’t stop!” Caroline was loud, screaming but she did not care. She doubted anyone would hear her, but she had always been self-conscious about that. With Klaus, all she could focused on was the feel of him screwing the daylights out of her. “Klaus. Klaus.”

“ _Non te deserant circumda_.” Klaus whispered against her ear, his breath grazing her skin. “ _Et ponere mei conferri pestem vestry cutis marcam. Meus es tu. Pertinent es ad me.”_ Caroline cared not that his words made no sense to her. She assumed it was a sweet nothing in his native tongue and whatever made him continue thrusting against her and causing that tight feeling to wreck her body, he could say whatever he pleased. The coil snapped and Caroline came hard. She screamed out his name, the waves coursing through her body as Klaus spilled himself inside her. _“Niklaus signum est indelebilis onto vestry meam. Aeternum.”_

Caroline collapsed back against the mattress, her heart pounding against her chest. Her body was covered in sweat and she could feel the evidence of Klaus’s release between her legs. Klaus was still hovering above her with a proud smirk on his lips. He leaned down and kissed her gently.

“Don’t you look cocky.” Caroline breathed out, making the smirk on his lips widen, showing him impossibly white teeth. His eyes flashed gold again and in the hairs on the back of her neck stood up again but shook off the feeling has Klaus’s hand trailed up her side.

“Oh Caroline, if you think I’m done with you, you haven’t been paying attention.” His inhuman chuckle sounded in her ear and Caroline’s breath hitched. She could feel him harden inside her as his lips sucked on her neck again. The night progressed in similar fashion until Caroline was spent; falling into a dreamless sleep.

When Caroline woke the following morning, she was alone. She brought the white sheet up to her chest and looked around the room. There was no trace of Klaus and she wondered if he was still in the building. She knew he said he was leaving in the morning, but she figured he would kick her out first; or had morning sex with her as a goodbye. Heat flushed over her skin as she remembered how his body fit inside hers and all the naughty things, he had done to it the night before.

Slowly, Caroline pulled herself from the bed, wincing as she went and wrapped the sheet around her. The last thing she wanted was someone to come into the room and see her naked; although she had the feeling that she was completely alone. She searched for her clothing that was scattered all across the floor. She bent down and looked under the bed to see her bra had somehow landed there. She reached under and pulled it out, noticing that there was a giant white circle painted under the bed. Her brows scrunched in confusion and she sat up, paying the strange paint on the ground no mind.

She tossed the sheet back on the bed and dressed quickly. She looked at the headboard and noticed that the designs carved into the wood were words in a language that Caroline didn’t know. She bit her lip, giving the bed one last look before leaving the room. She walked through the balcony, not noticing how the eyes of the blonde woman in the painting she passed followed her. She paused for a moment, that the top of the stairs, when she heard whispering. She looked over her shoulder and only saw a painting that had gone still. The beautiful woman gazed at her with a frozen look of curiosity on her face.

“Klaus?” Caroline called but there was no response. She looked around, wondering if the shadows had followed her but she saw nothing in sight. The Abattoir seemed almost impossibly bright. She walked down the iron stairway and saw that her phone and purse were still on the wooden table of the courtyard. She walked over and picked up her phone, noticing that she had no service. On her purse was a piece of paper with an elegant scrawl that almost appeared to be an impressive form of calligraphy.

_I’m sure I’ll see you soon Sweetheart_

Caroline’s breath hitched looking at the words on the paper. She looked at the words confused; for she assumed that she would never see him again. That was the point and why she jumped into bed with him; because it was just uncomplicated sex. She read the note one last time before folding it and slipping it into her purse.

“Right. Walk of shame. Here we go.” Caroline ran her fingers through her hair, trying her best to untangle it and headed towards the iron gates that separated the courtyard from the street outside. Stepping out into the morning sunlight, Caroline noticed that very few people were milling about the street. She looked both ways before crossing the street and once her feet touched the sidewalk on the other side, she felt her phone buzz.

Caroline pulled her phone from her purse and saw that she had several missed calls and text messages from before. Groaning she noticed that both Elena and Stephen wanted to know if she made it to New Orleans safely.

“Shit.” She quickly sent off messages to both of them, letting them know she arrived and that she was sorry for not responding. Debating on whether she should be honest or just tell them she fell asleep. She chose to go with the latter. Hitting send, Caroline looked back up at the Abattoir and was taken aback. The building seemed to have lost its luster. She blinked and shook her head; ignoring the feeling of dread that settled into her stomach. She turned to head off down the street in search of the parking garage she left her car it.

Not even noticing the fact that the iron gate that lead to the courtyard had vanished.

It took her thirty minutes to find her car and head back towards her aunt’s cottage. Her mind kept flashing back to the night before and the memory of Klaus continued to bring a smile to her face. She was still grieving Cami’s death, feeling frustrated over the loss of her job and the annoyance with Stefan; but Klaus gave her something to be happy about. If the ache between her legs was any indication, she would be remembering him for some time.

Cami’s neighborhood was quiet, many of the residence still seemingly asleep and Caroline pulled in the driveway. The home appeared less imposing in the morning light than it had at sunset when she fled it. Taking a deep breath Caroline pulled herself out of the car and walked up towards the front door, searching for the key she had slipped onto her key ring. She unlocked the door and noticed three things. The home held a distinct smell of sulfur and rotten eggs. She could not explain what the source of the smell was but just that it was faint but noticeable. The second was that all the lights were off. Caroline swore that she had left all of them on when she left the house. The final thing was an envelope that was resting on the fireplace, an envelope that had not been there the night before. Caroline walked over to it and froze.

Caroline’s name was written in Cami’s handwriting across the envelope.


	4. A Written Farewell

_Caroline sat on the small porch swing, staring off into the distance with tears streaming down her face. The slight wind from cool winter air made her tears feel even colder against her cheeks. She had been in New Orleans for three months and found that she was considering making the relocation permanent. Her father was dead. He had been fighting a long battle with cancer and finally it had taken him from her. It was slow and torturous, Caroline being there in his final moments before he passed on._

_What Caroline had not expected was to be mending a broken heart as well._

_The swing creaked and moved as Cami sat down beside her. She opened her arms and Caroline curled up into them. Caroline rested her head into the crook of her aunt’s neck and Cami began running her fingers through Caroline’s blond curls._

_“Are you okay honey?” Cami asked her and Caroline shook her head. Her tone was low and concerned, knowing that Caroline was grieving. “Bill loved you very much. He did everything he could to take care of you and I know it meant the world to him that you where there with him when he died.”_

_“It hurts.” Caroline’s voice was hoarse. “I knew it was coming. I prepared myself the best I could for his death, but I just was not prepared for Tyler and Hayley to do that to me. Like, how could they? My dad literally just died, and I walk into the room to find them going at it like rabbits. Elena called me and told me that Carol Lockwood told her that Hayley and Tyler found an apartment in Atlanta together.”_

_“I never liked Tyler.” Cami bit out with a small growl. “Or Hayley but Bill did look at her like a daughter.” Caroline scowled at the thought. “I think Bill would be very disappointed in her and her actions. I know Stephen is and for me to agree with anything either Bill or Stephen says something.” Caroline snorted at that. Bill had always been reluctant to allow Caroline to go visit Cami, and Caroline had never really understood why._

_“Why did you and dad never get along?”_

_“It’s a long story honey, and one for another time.”_

_“Did it have to do with mom?”_

_“Kind of.” Cami told her and Caroline just gave her a look. It was rare for Cami or Bill to talk about Liz. Whenever the topic of Liz was broached, Bill always went white as though he was scared of something while Cami just gave a soft smile but avoided the subject. “One day, I will tell you everything you need to know about your mom. I promise.”_

“Caroline?” Caroline turned her head to see Sophie speaking with her. The other woman was dressed in all black, as was Caroline, and her hair was done in a simple bun. Caroline looked over Sophie’s shoulder to see her mother, Jane-Anne and the little girl Monique all staring at her. “Are you okay? You seemed to be a bit out of it.”

“Yeah. I am. Sorry.” Caroline shook her head and looked back over at the large tomb with Cami’s name written on it. Standing in the middle of the city of the dead, Caroline felt a chill go over her. It was not a chill that Caroline had felt whenever the shadows were near but the type of feeling one gets when they stand before the grave of someone they love. “What were you saying?”

“Nothing. Just that we are heading out. It was a nice service.” Sophie told her and Caroline nodded. It was a nice service. Small and quiet. Jane-Anne, Sophie and Monique were the only other attendants. It took Caroline by surprise, she had thought that her funeral would have more attendants but according to Jane-Anne, Cami kept to herself and did not socialize much. She worked and came home, only having dinner with her one friend from time to time; even then Jane-Anne stated that Cami kept everything close to the chest.

“Yeah. It was. Just strange to know she is gone.” Caroline muttered and Sophie smiled. She leaned in and gave Caroline a hug, taking her by surprise. While Caroline was not one who shied away from being touched, she also was not one who would hug someone she just met. “Thank you for coming out.”

“Of course. How long do you plan on staying?”

“A few days at most. I’ve gone through some of Cami’s things but plan on really getting everything organized and sent back to Mystic Falls today and tomorrow. I plan on visiting my step-dad before heading home, but I should be leaving New Orleans in a few days.” Caroline confirmed and Sophie nodded, appearing lost in thought. She looked over her shoulder at Monique, who was hiding behind her grandmother’s legs before turning her glance back at Caroline.

“Well, if you need anything, please let us know. Like I said, we are right across the street.” Caroline nodded as Sophie gave her one last hug. She turned back and walked over to her mother and daughter; Jane-Anne hugging Caroline as well before leaving the cemetery. She watched them go and crossed her arms over her chest; as though she was trying to hold herself together.

Once Sophie and her family were out of sight, Caroline turned and looked around the city of the dead. The tombs were raised above the ground and had a haunting look to it. The September wind blew slightly, causing Caroline’s curls to ruffle in the breeze. She walked down the rows of tombs and headed back to Cami’s tomb; reading the fresh plaque that was placed earlier that day.

_Camille O’Connell_   
_In Loving Memory_

Its saddened Caroline that there was nothing more to say about Cami, only that she was gone. To Caroline, she was so much more than those simple words and that consuming guilt for being absent in her life for so long. Her eyes trailed to the plaque on the left and one that was close to twenty years old.

_Elizabeth O’Connell-Forbes_   
_A Mother Gone Too Soon_

Caroline reached out and traced her mother’s name with her fingertips. Caroline could spend hours in the city of the dead just staring at her mother’s grave. She had so many questions about Liz and very few memories. The majority of the memories she did have were of the night she was murdered, a hazy nightmare that haunted Caroline every time she closed her eyes. She always wondered why Liz had been murdered and who had done it; for the people were never caught, a mystery that always bothered Caroline. She wondered if both Cami and Bill were aware of what and who killed her mother but refused to tell her.

Cami had promised Caroline that she would one day tell her everything she needed to know about what happened that night; but now she never got the chance. Her mind wandered to the letter that was still sitting on the coffee table of the house unopened. She had been dancing around it for the last couple of days, focusing on cleaning the house. Caroline could not understand how it had gotten into the house in the first place, she was convinced that it had not been there before she ran out in terror. Not only that, but how had Cami written it? Wasn’t her death a stroke? A death that was completely unexpected?

Caroline pressed her palm against her mother’s plaque and for a second, she swore that the lettering of her mother’s name grew darker. Her eyes went wide as the shadows began to seep out from the letters and swirl around her hand. She tried to pull back, but it was like something was holding her to the tomb. The shadows were right in front of her eyes; etched into the stone as though they belonged there. They touched her, weaving between her fingers as though they were sewing them together. It felt like ice against her skin and in the warm autumn weather it felt as though a northern winter had just come early.

She yanked her hand backwards again, but she still was unable to pull it from the stone. She wrapped her free hand around her wrist and tried to pull herself free. The harder she pulled, the more the shadows seemed to wrap around her wrist causing her skin to go numb from the cold that was pressed against it. Her heart was speeding up and she looked around, hoping to see someone, anyone, that would be able to help her.

_“Play with us Caroline._ ” The shadows whispered to her and their voices were clear as day. She had not heard them speaking so clearly to her since she was a child and they certainly never touched her. They always seemed to be a figment of her imagination and she always wondered if they were something her mind came up with in order to deal with the trauma of watching her mother’s murder; or at least, that was Dr. Maxfield’s theory.

But whatever was touching her now was very real.

“I don’t want to play with you!” Caroline screamed out, still desperately trying to pull her hand from her mother’s stone. The shadows were slowly crawling up her arm, spreading that icy cold feeling along her skin. “Let me go! Help! Someone please! Help me! Please!”

“You’re okay, Sweetheart. You’re safe. I’ve got you.” A thick accented voice sounded just over her ear, his warm breath touching her skin. A hand touched her shoulder and suddenly the shadows vanished, releasing her from the snare she had found herself in. She yanked back hard and toppled to the ground, landing on the stone-pathway on her backside. She scurried to her feet and turned around in circles.

Caroline was alone.

Caroline swore she heard Klaus’s voice in her ear. Klaus had been on her mind the last few days since the night she spent with him was playing over and over in her mind. Dealing with Cami’s estate, home and the never-ending sympathetic looks from both Jane-Ann and Sophie was enough to make Caroline scream. Remembering the few hours of bliss she had in the arms of a stranger was enough to keep her sane.

She looked over to the tomb that held her mother’s bones and now her aunt’s remains. She brought her hand, that still felt cold and numb, to her chest, rubbing it, hoping to get some warmth back to it. Her heart was still pounding against her chest as though it was about to break out of it. She grabbed her black bag that had hit the ground at some point and made her way out of the cemetery as quickly as she could. She all but ran towards her car and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Get your shit together, Caroline.” Caroline hissed to herself and tried to calm her beating heart. She flexed her hand as the feeling started to return to it. She reached for her bag and pulled out her phone, her finger hoovering over Stephen’s number before she second guessed it. Stephen would insist that she make an appointment with Dr. Maxfield and probably tell Caroline that her mind was playing tricks on her due to stress. For a moment she thought about calling Elena but decided against it, her best friend would be on the same side as Stephen.

While the incident in the cemetery was terrifying, it proved something to Caroline. It proved that she wasn’t crazy nor was she losing her mind. She took a deep breath and started her car, driving through the city and headed back to the house. Her mind wandered to the shadows, still not able to explain what had happened or what was haunting her.

She thought on Klaus and wondered why she would have thought of him in that moment; or why it was his voice that drove the shadows away, because that is exactly what happened. He whispered in her ear, touched her shoulder and the shadows scattered. She could not understand it, why would thinking of Klaus send the shadows fleeing from her. They had her, touched her in a way that left her frozen.

Her thoughts raced, mixed with the cold feeling she was left with when the shadows touched her and hearing Klaus’s voice whispering in her ear as she pulled into the driveway of Cami’s small house. She stepped out and walked inside, realizing that she had not seen the shadows inside that house since the night she spent with Klaus.

_I’m sure I’ll see you soon, Sweetheart._

The note he had left her indicated that he would be seeing her, something she found strange. They never exchanged phone numbers or contact information. She didn’t even know his last name; that was the point. Klaus was supposed to be nothing more than stress relief, and while she thought on him, and the fantastic sex, but why would he pop up in her mind as the shadows were getting closer to her. They were not connected.

Where they?

“That’s insane. They can’t be connected. Then again you have cold shadows haunting you so...” Caroline shook her head and kicked off the black heels she was wearing and tossed them into the corner when she entered the house. The living room was completely packed up and boxes lingered around the room. The bigger items would remain. After going back and forth, Caroline decided that she would keep the house and rent it out for the time being; allowing some income to come in while she searched for a new job.

The only room left was Cami’s bedroom and she had been putting that off. While looking through all of Cami’s books on psychology, a few photos and knick-knacks around the house was hard, Caroline was not sure if she was able to look through the most intimate place Cami had. Caroline took a deep breath, running her fingers through her curls. She stood from the couch and head upstairs and into the guest bedroom.

She pulled a pair of leggings and an oversized shirt along with a sports bra. She headed towards the shower and turned the hot water all the way on; needing to shake the chill that Caroline was still feeling through her body. She jumped inside and washed the cold feeling she had gotten from the shadows away and allowed her mind to wander.

“Everything is fine Caroline. Everything is fine.” Caroline repeated that phrase over and over again until she almost believed it. Turning the water off, she climbed out of the shower, wrapped a towel around her waist and headed back into the bedroom. She gazed at herself in the mirror that was hanging over the wooden dresser. She brushed through her wet hair and pulled it up into a messy bun, not caring if her hair would be a knotted mess later. “Ouch! What the hell?”

The scar on her should burned as though she was being branded. She turned around and looked at her scar, seeing that it was bright red. She knew the scar was typically pale and faded, only a blimp on her body. She had gotten the scar the night her mother died but how she got it exactly was something she blocked from her mind. Dr. Maxfield believed that she was repressing traumatic memories from that night and no matter how much Dr. Maxfield irritated her, Caroline had to admit he was right on that front.

Yet looking at that scar seemed to puzzle her. As far as Caroline knew, scars did not just change color and start burning nearly two decades after they got them. She walked back into the bathroom and searched Cami’s medicine cabinets, hoping to find that cream she had that would always ease the burning and itching she experienced when she visited her aunt. Caroline always assumed that it was the southern humidity that made it hurt but now she was wondering if it had something to do with the shadows.

Giving up on finding the cream, Caroline pulls on the leggings and the oversized shirt, being careful of the mark on her shoulder. She made a note that the next time that she went to see her doctor to mention it and see if there was a cream that he could give her.

Taking another deep breath, Caroline knew she needed to go through Cami’s room. She ran downstairs and picked up some of the boxes that were disassembled, the packing tape and the bags of packing peanuts. She went back up into Cami’s bedroom and closed turned on all the lights. The room was neat and orderly. A large wooden bed pressed again the wall and sat in the middle of the room. A matching dresser sat across from hit and a similar mirror hung on the wall, looking down on the bed. An ottoman was pressed at the end of the bed and Caroline saw shoes stashed beside them. There were a few pieces of art hanging on the wall and a few pictures that Caroline avoided looking at.

The first thing she did was go over to the dresser and looked at all the jewelry, perfume and brushes that were waiting to never be used again. Caroline grabbed a small box and started packing everything away, trying to distance herself from the feelings the were threatening to rise up inside her. Once the dresser was cleared out, Caroline turned to the bed and stripped it down. On the bedside table she saw a few pictures. There were two of her, one of them was of her when she was little and the next was during her college graduation; a ceremony that Cami wasn’t even at, claiming that she had a work conference to attend.

There was a third photo and Caroline picked it up. It was a photo of four young woman. One of them was Cami and she looked at least twenty years younger. Another was a dark-skinned woman with wild curly brown hair, a woman Caroline never saw in her life. The next was a much younger looking Jane-Anne. Caroline had found it strange that she had never met Jane-Anne before, when this photo proved that she had been friends with Cami for years.

The final woman and the one in the center of them all was a picture of Caroline’s mother. She had long blonde hair and the same blue eyes as Caroline’s. She was smiling widely, looking happy among her younger sister and friends. It looked as though she was laughing. Caroline had very few photos of Liz because Bill never wanted to keep them in the house. She decided that even though two of the four women in the photo meant very little to her, Caroline would keep that photo; not just because of Cami, but because it had a photo of Liz.

Caroline stood and moved to the closet, pulling all of Cami’s clothes out of her closet. She put them into a large bag, knowing that she would take them to a donate bin before driving out of New Orleans. In the closet, she saw a rather large trunk sitting there causally. Once she was done with the clothes, Caroline pulled the wooden trunk from the closet and sat down. She unhooked the locks and opened the lid, freezing at what she saw.

“What the fuck?” Inside the trunk Caroline found a series of items that she never would have expected her aunt to have. A few things were normal, several candles and leather-bound books that appeared far older than any other books Cami had on her bookshelves. There were also several knives with strange markings on the handles. Several different types of stones and crystals were on the very bottom and a few pieces of white chalk. Little bags of herbs were collected in a bin as well as a deck of tarot cards Caroline often saw sold in bookstores. There was even a glass bottle of what appeared to be filled with salt. A silver necklace with pendant handing from the chair hung on a hook in the trunk; the pendant seemed to have a pentagram carved into the metal.

Caroline picked up a few of the books but was unable to read any of them. What she could see was that one of the books had a pentagram drawn on the front of it. She flipped through the pages and noticed that almost everything seemed to be written in another language and most importantly, it appeared to be in Cami’s handwriting. She lingered on the pages and there was one work that caught her eye.

_Niklaus._

Caroline froze. Memories of the other night flashed before her. Caroline remembered when Klaus had sex with her, he uttered the word Niklaus; almost with a roll of his tongue. Caroline had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Given the fact that Caroline swore she heard Klaus in the cemetery when the shadows touched her, and the name Klaus sounded awfully similar to Niklaus and Caroline was smart enough to put two and two together. Klaus was who Cami was referencing in her book; written in a language Caroline would be was the same on Klaus spoke to her while he was inside of her.

“Oh god.” Caroline bolted from the floor and began to pace around the room. She didn’t understand what was going on. She didn’t understand how Cami would be connected to Klaus; a stranger that she had just met and had sex with. Not only that, but how where they both connected to the shadows. Cami always told Caroline never to interact with them, and to suppress them as though they were a figment of her imagination but today proved to Caroline that they were real. Very very real.

Caroline turned and rushed out of the room, running down the stairs in bare feet. She went over to the coffee table where the letter that she found on the fireplace the other nice still rested. Her heart was pounding in her chest, not understanding what was going on in her own life; and what Cami has to do with Klaus…or whatever he was called. She stared down at the offending envelope, not sure if she wanted to know its contents.

“It’s just a letter Caroline. You can do this.” Slowly, she picked up the envelope with trembling hands. She read her name on the front, knowing it was Cami’s handwriting from see her sign Caroline’s name in a thousand different cards over the years, before turning it over. Caroline broke the seal and pulled out a single piece of paper that was waiting inside.

_Caroline,_

_I’m writing this letter to you when you’re fast asleep. I’m watching your chest rise and fall and I can only pray that the nightmares will let you sleep, at least for a while. The weight you bear is far too much for a young girl of nineteen._

_This is the last summer you will spend here with me. Bill’s death shook me far more than it should have. I never expected to outlive him. I never wanted you to face this alone and I always assumed that Bill would be there with you. Apparently, they had other ideas. I find Bill’s death strange. If it was anyone else, the natural causes of his death would not cause me to blink an eye, but seeing that he is your father, I find that cancer could not be what took him. I can’t believe that._

_As an O’Connell, Caroline I find that you will become used to death. You could say that it is our family legacy._

_I know it will be years before you read this letter and it pains me to know I have to push you away, especially when you so desperately need someone. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ve been selfish with you. I should have sent you to live with your father and never stayed in your life. I should have let him guide you away from all this, but I always knew one day that it would catch up to you. I thought I could help and prepare you, but I loved you too much to bring you into this life._

_This morning we sat on the porch swing and you asked me why your father and I never got along. The truth is simple. I never liked how he treated your mother. She loved him desperately, but he never seemed to love her enough. He left her broken hearted and I never forgave him for that. As far as his dislike of me? Well, I made a deal with something in order to keep you safe and Bill felt that I messed with something that I don’t understand._

_But I know exactly what I had done and the price I’m going to one day pay. If it means that you’re safe and that you do not meet the same fate as your mother, then it is a price I’ll gladly pay. Please know that I do not regret my decision Caroline._

_I would tell you more, but I fear that in doing so, I would only scare you. I want you to live a happy and normal life as you can. I want you to go to college, make a life for yourself. To fall in and out of love._

_Even though I must let you go, please remember these three things:_

_The first and something I’ve always told you, stay away from the shadows. They are not your friends, nor can they be trusted._

_The second, I love you. Very much. You are the closest thing I had to a daughter and I’m sure Liz would be happy to know that I loved you as such._

_The third, and possibly most important, is when you meet Klaus, know that he will keep his end of the deal. Trusting him would be foolish but he never backs out of a deal. He will keep you safe._

_I love you,_   
_Aunt Cami_

Caroline read that letter at least ten times, trying to understand the words that were written; and yet she could not wrap her head around what her aunt’s last words to her had been. More questions were posed than answers and she discovered that she had little to no way of finding them. Caroline folded the letter and put it back into the envelope before heading back upstairs and into the guest room. She put the letter in her purse, seeing her phone flash from inside it. She had a few messages from Elena, but nothing seemed important. She also noticed that she had a missed call from Stephen. A wave of hot anger flashed through her and on impulse, she dialed her stepfather’s number.

“Hey Care-Bear. How are you doing? The funeral-“

“Why does Aunt Cami have a trunk full of items that looks like she owns an occult store?” Caroline cut him off and she could almost hear Stephen pause on the other end. For a moment, she had though the line cut off, but she could hear him breathing on the other end. “Stephen, what is going on?”

“Shit.” Stephen hissed and she already knew that he was pinching his nose, a habit he had when a stress headache was coming on. “I did not realize that she was still doing that. If we had known, Bill never would have let you go down to see her all those summers. She promised she wasn’t practicing anymore.”

“Practicing what?” Caroline asked again but Stephen didn’t say anything. “What was Aunt Cami involved in Stephen!”

“Cami was a practicing wiccan Caroline.” The words came out in a rush that Caroline had to mull them over in her mind several times before she was able to make sense of them. “She used to practice heavily when she was in her twenties. As did your mother. Bill never really believed in any of it, calling it hocus pocus but-“

“Cami left a letter and she said that she believed Dad’s death wasn’t from cancer.” Tears were flowing down Caroline’s face freely and she knew that her voice sounded almost hysterical. “She said that what happened to my mother was going to happen to me. I watched my mother die. You know this. Is the same thing going to happen to me? I don’t want to die Stephen.”

She lost it then. Every emotion she had been feeling for the last week let loose and she started crying; sobbing heavily into the phone. That vacant feeling in her chest that clawed at her was threatening to consume her. Her aunt’s letter sent her on a tailspin that she had not been anticipating. She did not hear Stephen’s kind words whispered in her ear nor the apology that he echoed over and over again.

When Caroline gained control of herself, she could smell a soft hint of sulfur in the air and a pleasant chill hanging in the air. She was on the floor, not even realizing that she had collapsed. She brought her hands to her face and wiped the tears away as she moved towards the sofa, sitting down on it.

“Are you still planning on driving down tomorrow?” Stephen asked her gently and Caroline confirmed her plans. “Okay. This is not a conversation we should have on the phone. When you arrive tomorrow evening, I will explain anything I can. I promise.”

“Okay.” They said their goodbyes and Caroline curled up into a ball, resting her head against one of the throw pillows. Stephen answered none of her questions, but she hadn’t actually expected him to. She went over every inch of that letter in her mind, posing each question individually.

What did she mean that her father’s death was not from cancer? How could the doctors have been so wrong?

What did she mean that the Caroline could meet the same fate as her mother? Was she going to die?

What deal did she make?

How did she know Klaus?

Caroline decided that she was not going to mention Klaus to Stephen, at least not until she knew how he was connected to Cami and what he wanted for her. As Caroline slowly drifted off to sleep, memories of the night she spent with Klaus fluttered behind her eyelids, making her wonder if he sought her out that night and if he intended to have sex with her when he stepped in to that pub. Fast asleep, Caroline did not feel the blanket cover her nor the press of lips to her forehead.

“Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

Caroline woke with a start, the pounding of someone at the door. She pulled herself from the couch and all but ran to the door. She opened it to see two very confused looking movers. Realizing that she overslept, Caroline told the movers what exactly needed to go while she ran upstairs and hurriedly finished grabbing Cami’s things. There was not much to pack in the room before handing them off to the movers. She pulled the sheets and bedding off the bed, packing them away and allowing the movers to take everything into their truck. The room was left to its bare bones, ready for whenever Caroline placed a for rent ad.

On an impulse, she told the movers to take the trunk and put it in the back of her car, deciding that she wanted to take that to Atlanta with her in order to show Stephen exactly what she had found. Within forty-five minutes, the movers were driving away, and Caroline sent a text message to Elena to inform her that they would be there in the morning. Elena had agreed to oversee the unpacking while Caroline made a stop in Atlanta.

Caroline rushed around, showing, dressing and grabbing the last bit of her belongings before heading off. She ensured that the home was locked up and no food was left waiting in the fridge. She made sure that everything was perfect, shut off the lights and walked out to her car. She took one last look at the small cottage that always felt as though it was a home away from home. Caroline felt her heart break just then, the realization that Cami was indeed gone hitting her once more.

Taking a deep breath, Caroline turned away from the house with the intention of getting into her car, but something caught her eye. Across the street, she saw them again. However, this time it did not seem to be her they were interested in. Monique was drawing pictures on the driveway of her mother’s house; while the shadows seemed to dance across the sidewalk as though tracing whatever it was that the small girl was drawing.

Caroline froze, remembering the terrified and cold feeling the shadows invoked inside of her. Monique was a child. She knew that the shadows had first came to Caroline when she was around Monique’s age; and the last thing she wanted for that young girl was to spend the life terrified of her own mind, much like Caroline had. Take a deep breath and summoning any strength she had, Caroline walked across the street and looking down at Monique, who seemed startled by her sudden presence, the shadows still dancing around the drawings the little girl made. Caroline knelt down and gave Monique a gentle smile.

“Hey, Monique. Where is your mom?”

“Inside. She hasn’t had her coffee yet and mommy isn’t nice when she wakes up.” Monique told her and Caroline nodded. She didn’t know Sophie well, but Caroline had the feeling that she was a bit strict when it came to her daughter. “She told me to go play but not to leave the yard. I’m not to talk to strangers but you’re not a stranger. Right?”

“No. I’m not. Not anymore.” Caroline looked down at the drawing Monique was working on, but it was obscured by the shadows; one that seemed not to care that their time with Monique was being interrupted. It almost seemed as though they were giddy to have them both so close to them; for Caroline could hear them cackling in amusement. “What are you drawing?”

“I don’t know. They asked me to draw it. They said that you would know it.” Monique replied with a shrug before leaning in to whisper to Caroline. Caroline tilted her head in order to hear her better, getting the feeling that Monique did not want the shadows to hear what she had to say. “They get mad when I don’t play with them. They make me feel cold. I thought if I just did what they asked, maybe they will go away.”

“I don’t-“ Caroline paused when she noticed that the shadow’s dancing grew into a more distinct format, tracing Monique’s drawing in perfect harmony. Then, as though the shadows sunk deep into the concrete, Caroline got a perfect look at what was being drawn on the ground. “Where did you see that?”

It was a perfect rendition of the scar on Caroline’s shoulder; a small ‘v’ turned on its side with the ends curled and a line sticking directly through the middle, the tips growing darker at the end.

“They told me to draw it. They said you would understand.”

“I have to go.” Caroline stood and all but bolted across the street, her heart pounding at the sight. She clutched her car keys in her hand and climbed into the driver’s side; sparing one last glance at the little girl. Caroline watched as Sophie’s head popped out of the front door, calling Monique to come inside; she dropped the chalk and followed her mother’s direction, leaving the symbol behind.

The shadows were nowhere to be found.

Caroline’s heart was pounding. She grabbed her phone and dialed Stephen’s number without even thinking. It rang and rang but she received no answer. She left him a vague message, telling him she was leaving New Orleans and heading his way. Sending one final glance towards Sophie’s house, Caroline saw that the shadows had not returned. Caroline started her car, pulling away from Cami’s house; watching it disappear in the rearview mirror as she drove away.

The drive from New Orleans to Atlanta was about six hours. Her mind was whirling with everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours; her thoughts jumping from one question to another as she passed exit after exit on the highway. Cami’s letter sent her reeling and confirmed the one thing that Caroline was too afraid to admit to herself. The shadows were real and for some reason, continued to haunt her; but the question was why. Why did they pick her and for what purpose?

And how did Klaus factor into any of it? Did he know who she was that night at the bar? And why sleep with her only to leave her in the morning? What would he gain from it, other than really good sex? None of these questions were providing any answers as to what was happening to her.

She tried calling Stephen a few more times over the six-hour drive but he was not answering. Even as she pulled up outside his apartment complex, Stephen’s voice continued to go to voicemail. She pulled up beside Stephen’s light blue Prius, pulling the visitor pass he had given her a few years back when he first moved to Atlanta, and put it on her car. She pulled her duffle bag out of the back, since she planned on staying the night before driving the rest of the way to Mystic Falls the following morning and headed up the stairwell to the third floor, swiping the key card that came with the parking pass.

She walked through the hallways that led towards Stephen’s apartment. She read number that was pressed against the beige wall until she got to the apartment number 325. Caroline wrapped against the door, but it appeared that Stephen did not hear her. She knew he was home for his car was parked in the parking lot. She knocked again but received no answer.

“Stephen! It’s Caroline. I’m here.” She called through the door but received no answer. Caroline sat her duffle bag down and pulled out her keys; searching for the housekey she knew belonged to Stephen’s apartment. She slipped the key into the lock, hoping that he had not used the deadlock. When she pushed the door open, it was halted by the chair on the door. She looked through the gap that the chain created and froze.

Caroline screamed.

Through the gap she could see Stephen’s dead body lying on the ground, his deep brown eyes wide and terrified and staring at her lifeless. She could see blood splattered on the walls and was etched deeply into wood floor. Caroline’s legs gave out and her back hit the wall; sinking down onto the ground. She was screaming out Stephen’s name and some of the neighbors had popped their head out of their apartments. Someone, Caroline did not know who, was yelling about calling the police. Arms went around her as though to pull her from the ground, but she couldn’t move.

All she could see was Stephen’s mutilated body on the wood floor of his apartment and the shadows that danced over it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sips coffee in a nonchalant manner*
> 
> So, how is your guys's day going? Anything interesting happen? Anything shocking and unexpected?


	5. Caricatures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent last night in the Vet ER with my dog. She will be fine, just a UTI.
> 
> Anyway, give me some reviews on the chapter, I could really use that today.

Caroline did not know how she got outside the apartment building. She remembered someone putting their hands on her shoulders and guiding her out of the building. She sank down onto the curb as flashing police lights surrounded her. The sounds of sirens blaring, slicing through the dead silence that was ringing in her ears. The Atlanta sun was sinking into the horizon and yet Caroline could not focus on anything other than the memory of Stephen’s dead eyes staring back at her. She saw the blood that seemed to be dry on the carpet and how there seemed to be a splatter spewing across the wall.

The shadows were there, and they twirled gleefully against the wall; basking in the blood as though it was rainstorm that they were dancing in. They knew she was coming. They heard her but why target Stephen. Why now? A thousand thoughts were flashing through her mind and all of them made Caroline feel as though his death was her fault. She thought on the last conversation she had with Stephen and yet his words all seemed blurred together as she stared off into the empty street; not being able to see even the lights flashing in front of her.

“Miss Forbes?” Caroline looked up to see a tall man with light brown hair and distrusting eyes. He wore a pair of black slakes and a white button down that appeared to be far too fancy for a crime scene. He was looking at her as though he was inspecting every inch of her and was clearly annoyed having to be there. He pulled out a small note pad and pen, tossing her another look of annoyance and Caroline felt unnerved and she knew she was going to lose her patience with him quickly. “My name is Detective Tristan de Martel. I’m going to be looking into Mr. Marshall’s murder. Can you tell me how you knew him?”

“He was my step-dad. He helped raise me.”

“I see.” The detective replied in a bored tone, as though the knowledge was completely unimpressive. “And your mother? Has she been in contact with him?”

“Dead but she wasn’t his wife. My dad was married to him before he died of cancer.” Caroline snapped and she could see de Martel’s posture change; his lip curling almost in distaste. Seeing the open hostility on the detective’s features made Caroline swell with anger and grief. “I can’t believe he is dead.” Caroline put her head into her knees and let out a large sob, completely unable to hold back the tears any longer. She closed her eyes, feeling her wet lashes touch the top of her cheeks, and all she could see was Stephen’s dead body. Not caring that a bigoted detective was watching her or that she was in the middle of a sidewalk, Caroline broke down. It took several minutes for Caroline to gain control of herself. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. When was the last time you spoke to Mr. Marshall?” He asked in a brisk tone that told Caroline the last thing he wanted to do was comfort a distraught woman. Caroline decided that she did not like him very much and wanted nothing more than to claw out his eyes and watch them roll on the ground. She paused, not understanding where the violent thought had come from; and directed towards someone she barely even knew.

“Um? Yesterday.”

“What did you discuss?”

“My drive up here. I was New Orleans. We discussed me visiting for a day, spending some time together before I drove to Virginia. Where I live.”

“Why were you in New Orleans?”

“My Aunt Cami had a stroke. She died last week.” Caroline snapped, crossing her arms. That urge to leap and strike at the detective hit her with full force again. Caroline could see what he was accusing her of, and she did not like the fact that the detective was zeroing in on her as a suspect in his murder. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Do you have someone who can corroborate your whereabouts?” de Martel ignored her question, instead focused on her with a glare that had Caroline’s blood pumping with fury. Perhaps it was the ordeal of finding someone she cared about dead body that left her a bit traumatized, but she was finding it very difficult not to imagine the detective’s head rolling across the pavement.

“Yes. Sophie Deveraux. She was my aunt’s neighbor. I saw her this morning before I left.” While that was not exactly correct, having saw her daughter, but Caroline could not give a small child as an eyewitness. She pulled out her phone and provided the detective her contact information.

“Where are you staying?”

“I don’t know. I was supposed to stay here but…”

“I can’t let you leave Atlanta until I speak with Ms. Deveraux and confirm you alibi. We will make arrangements for you to stay in a motel for the night.” With a final brisk click of his pen and closing of his notebook, the detective turned away from her, leaving Caroline to sit back down on the sidewalk.

Anger fueled her as she looked across the parking lot and it wasn’t just anger at the detective. It was anger at the fact that she once again lost someone to something so brutal. Caroline felt as though her entire family was doomed to die and leave her alone. She did not understand why person after person continued to die all around her.

A movement across the street caught her eye and she froze. She stood and narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at who was standing by the bushes. Caroline’s heart leapt into her throat. He was looking right at her, their eyes met, and Caroline knew that her mind was not playing tricks on her.

Klaus was standing across the street, staring at her.

Caroline stood and moved to walk across the street, she wanted to see him and interrogate him as to how he knew Cami. How was he involved with any of this, especially showing up outside the crime scene of her recently murdered stepfather? Caroline’s mind was swirling with a thousand emotions and questions that she did not realize that she was about to walk into oncoming traffic.

A hand stopped her from going forward, pulling her back and Caroline blinked as a car whipped past her. She blinked for a few moments and realized that Klaus had vanished and was nowhere to be seen. Caroline turned to look at the hand that pulled her from walking into oncoming traffic and felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

He was tall, dressed identically to Detective de Martel and had dark chocolate hair. He had soulful brown eyes that appeared incredibly old and most likely having seen the worst that life could offer. His hand, that was still resting on her bare shoulder, was cold; a fact that was far too obvious in Georgia evening air.

“Are you alright?” He asked her in an accent that made Caroline inhale sharply. It wasn’t the same voice as Klaus, but she almost felt as though the tone and pronunciation were similar enough that it put Caroline on guard. “Miss Forbes?”

“Yes. Sorry. Thank you for that. Not allowing me to walk into traffic I mean.”

“Detective de Martel wanted me to drive you to a hotel for then night. He will be seeing you in the morning once he confirmed your alibi.” Caroline scowled at the thought, knowing that the Atlanta police would be looking into her as a suspect until she can prove that she just arrived from New Orleans.

“Who are you?”

“My apologize. I’m Elijah.” He held out his hand and Caroline grasped it, feeling the coolness of it again. She let go quickly, something feeling incredibly off about Elijah. While he felt similar to Klaus in a way, there was something wrong about him as well. “The detective’s car is this way if you would follow me.”

“Yeah. Of course.” Caroline picked up her duffle bag before following him down the sidewalk. Elijah moved to one of the unmarked cars that had a flashing light stationed behind the rearview mirror. Elijah opens the passenger side door, allowing Caroline to crawl inside and watch as he walked around the car in order to climb inside the driver’s side door. He pulled away from the curb far more quickly Caroline would have assumed an officer of the law would do. “Where are you taking me?”

“A small hotel a few streets over. Nothing fancy but a comfortable bed for the night. I’m sure once everything is checked out you will be free to head back to Mystic Falls in the morning.” Caroline nodded but then froze, realizing that her car was still parked outside of Stephen’s apartment building. She went to say something, but Elijah seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. “Don’t worry, we will bring you back to your car first thing.”

“Right.” Caroline replied as Elijah turned into a parking lot of a hotel chain that Caroline recognized. She looked down at the clock on the dash and narrowed her eyes. Atlanta’s traffic should not have allowed them to travel that quickly, even if it was only a few streets over. “How did we get here so quickly?”

“Magic.” Elijah replied simply, giving her an eerie smile. She knew he was trying to be funny, perhaps to lighten the mood and cheer up her clear dismay but part of Caroline almost believed he was being honest with her. She watched as he climbed out of the car but as she went to follow suit but when she turned to open the door, Elijah was already holding it open for her.

“Thanks.” Caroline gave him a weird and uneasy look as she got out of the car. Elijah was giving her what she assumed was an attempt at a warm smile. She grabbed her bag and followed Elijah towards the door of the motel. His pace was brisk and uneven, as though he was just learning to walk for the first time, but Caroline kept up well enough.

Inside, the motel lobby looked as any other motel she stayed in, except more run down than normal. A check in desk was at the far end and a woman with pale skin, red frizzy hair and bored eyes was behind it. Elijah spoke to her in a harsher voice than he had used with Caroline and for a moment she swore she heard him speak in a dark tone that turned Caroline’s insides into stone. He handed her what she assumed what his badge and explained that they needed a room for the night and that call should have been placed less than an hour ago. The receptionist bit back in a snippy tone and she could see Elijah’s shoulders tense.

_“Audi._ ” Caroline did a double take and she swore that the receptionist’s eyes glazed over for a moment but clearing seconds later. She gave Elijah a smile that was far too happy compared to the bored expression she wore when speaking to him only moments earlier. She typed into her computer before turning back to them; once again wearing that smile that seemed out of place.

“Thank detective de Martel. Everything is in order.” She handed Elijah a room key that dangled on a key chain. Caroline looked between the two, confused. Was Elijah and the detective related and if so, how could they word together? Elijah pointed to the elevator and started to guide her towards it.

“Wait? Are you and the other detective related?” Caroline asked as they entered the elevator. Elijah replied to her that they were not related at all and that only confused Caroline further. Something was wrong. “She called you by the other detective’s name.”

“I had the wrong badge. We must have gotten ours mixed up. I just noticed the mistake.” Caroline was not completely sure if she believed him. It was a simple enough explanation but one that did not completely make sense to her. She was itching to see the photo on the badge and if it looked the other detective. Something in her gut was telling her that not all was right with Elijah. She didn’t think he would harm her, but something just was wrong. “Here we are.”

Elijah handed her the key card and she let her self-inside the room, but Elijah leaned against the doorway; making no move to actually enter the room. She sat her bag down on one of the double beds in the room and looked around. There was nothing special about the room, two bed, two dressers, a TV, a table by the window with some chairs and a door that Caroline assumed lead to the bathroom. The carpet was beige, and the comforters had a floral print on them that reminded Caroline of her aunt Cami.

Caroline realizing that both Stephen and Cami were not just another one of Caroline’s many dead relatives.

“Thank you for bringing me here. I supposed I’ll see you or the other detective in the morning?”

“You’ll see Mr. de Martel, yes.” Elijah replied in an almost cryptic tone. His brown eyes flickered around the room before landing back on Caroline. “I would say inside tonight Ms. Forbes. Do not leave this hotel or this room. Not even to get ice or something from the vending machine and especially if you hear something outside.”

“What-“

“Goodnight Ms. Fobres.” Before he could say anything else, Elijah closed the door behind him. A loud thump sounded against the door and for a moment, Caroline thought she smelt something burning but after a moment, the smell dissipated. She stared at the door, wondering what had just happened and what Elijah had said to her. She had a feeling that it had nothing to do with police procedure or the fact that she had just found Stephen’s mutilated body. What exactly would Caroline hear outside her door, that would make her go and see what it was? She was beginning to feel as though Elijah had nothing to do with the police at all and everything to do with what was haunting her.

Caroline laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to focus on the dull color of the ceiling; however, her mind was not cooperating with her desires. She kept seeing Stephen’s dead eyes staring at her through the crack in the door. The blood splashed across the wall and the shadows dancing gleefully across the blood.

The sight mirrored the memory of Liz’s blood on the basement floor of the townhouse she had lived in as a small child resurfaced. Her mother’s blue eyes were open in the same way Stephen’s were and she realized that something was similar between the two bodies. Caroline closed her eyes and focused on the image of Stephen’s corpse lying on the floor that was now stained red. There was something else under his body.

It was not a clear memory, but Caroline thought she saw what looked like a white circle made of chalk. She thought on the trunk that sat in her car that was parked in front of Stephen’s building. Caroline could not help but feel as though whatever killed Stephen was connected to the occult paraphernalia that Cami was involved in and what she alleged in her letter.

Unable to stand being alone for a moment longer, Caroline pulled her bag towards her and grabbed her phone. She scrolled through her contacts for a few moments and clicked on Elena’s name; listening to the familiar sound the ringing noise. She knew it was getting late and that her best friend might not answer but she could only hope that Elena’s desire to learn she made it safe would overweight her ignoring the call due to the hour.

“Hey! Did you make it? I was starting to worry-“

“Elena.” Caroline’s voice broke at hearing her friend’s voice. Reality was crashing down around her as she was beginning to realize that both Stephen and Cami were dead. She, for all intense and purpose, was the last of her family. “Stephen’s dead.”

“What? What happened? Are you okay?” Elena’s frantic voice sounded through the phone. Caroline could hear the rustle of sheets and Damon’s voice in the background. Elena ignored him and focused on Caroline. “Do you want me to come and get you? If I leave now, I can be there before dawn.”

“No. I can’t leave Atlanta right now.” Caroline sobbed into the phone and told her everything; or at least, almost everything. She left out the shadows and Klaus, still not understanding what he could possibly have to do with anything. She explained the odd letter, omitting details such as the fact that Stephen was to explain what it meant but only telling her that he was dead by the time she arrived. “So, one of the detectives brought me to a motel for the night. They will be back in the morning I think with more questions.”

“They can’t hold you Caroline. You did nothing wrong.” Elena all but screeched in the phone, Damon’s voice begging her to calm down. “Don’t tell me to stay calm Damon! I’m fine.” Elena snapped before huffing into the phone. “Look, I’ll take care of Cami’s stuff when it gets here like I promised. If something happens, call us. If you need a lawyer, we will get you one. Okay. Take care of yourself. Do not worry about Cami’s belongings okay?”

“Thank you.” Caroline sobbed into the phone then and Elena did her best to calm her. Caroline was not one who overreacted but losing both Cami and Stephen in such a short timeframe was weighing on her heavily. While Cami died of natural causes, she could not explain how that letter appeared when she knew it had not been there before she had left the house. Nor how Stephen seemed concerned about it and then ended up dead within twenty-four hours of its discovery.

Stephen knew something that someone didn’t want Caroline to discover.

“It’s okay.” Elena soothed in a calming tone. Caroline knew that Elena had experience with meltdowns, due to being a kindergarten teacher, but it was rare that Caroline heard her use it on a grown adult. Although if Caroline was being honest, she felt as though she was due for a melt-down given the last few days. “Are you sure you do not want me to come to Atlanta?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.” Caroline whispered. While it would be nice to have someone with her, Caroline also felt the contradictory feeling of wanting to be alone. She gazed around the dark hotel room, realizing she had not turned any lights on, and flicked the bedside lamp on; illuminating the room. Part of her expected to see the shadows again but the room was still; nothing out of the ordinary occurring. “Can you just distract me for a bit? I know its late but…I don’t know. How is Mystic Falls?”

“The same.” Elena replied gently. “April Donovan had her baby, a little girl. Matt is overjoyed of course. Vicki even stopped by to see her which surprised everyone. Um…” Elena trailed off, clearly thinking about something, anything to tell her. “Father Saltzman stopped by the Grill and got into a scuffle…well, it’s not important. Oh! Jeremy called. He might be coming for a visit around Christmas. He hasn’t been home since the wedding, and it will be nice to see him.”

“He is still in Denver, right?”

“Yup. He loves the art school out there and is thinking about his masters. ”

“Good for him.” Caroline leaned back into the bed, just enjoying Elena’s prattle. It was familiar and comforting, two things she needed at the moment. Placing her on speaker phone, Caroline kicked off her shoes, tossing them off the bed and slipped her arms through her shirt in order to take her bra off. “Who did Father Saltzman get into an argument with? And what was he doing in Mystic Falls? Isn’t his church near Richmond?”

“I’m not sure to be honest. He grew up in Mystic Falls and likes to come back I suppose.” Elena told her but paused. “He just came into the Grill and got into with a patron. Something about not attending mass or something ridicules. Anyway, I don’t know exactly what the argument was about, but he was screaming about heaven and hell. Matt actually had to come and escort him out.”

“Who did he get into it with?”

“Caroline, it’s not-“

“Stefan. He got into it with Stefan, didn’t he?” Caroline groaned. She had known that Stefan was strange and flat out grumpy when it came to anything regarding religion; product of having an overly Catholic mother. While Caroline would not call Lillian Salvatore unreasonable, she certainly was peculiar. Caroline had spent a good amount of time in the Boarding House growing up and Lillian always made Caroline feel unwanted, as though she was a nuisance to have around, even though she was Stefan’s best friend. “God, what is wrong with him? You know what, no. I just can’t deal with him and whatever his broken heart is leading him to do.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry.” Elena said and Caroline could tell that her friend was mentally scolding herself. It wasn’t that Caroline never wanted to talk about Stefan or be around him, it was just that he was not letting go and if he wasn’t willing to accept that Caroline did not want to be in a relationship with him, then she wanted to distance herself as far away from him as possible. “Look, it is getting late and you need to rest. Call me tomorrow and let me know if you can leave Atlanta. I’ll take care of Cami’s things when they arrive and put them inside your house. Okay?”

“Yeah.” Caroline leaned against the headboard and closed her eyes. She was tired but resigned to knowing that sleep wasn’t going to come easy. Her body felt as though it was pins and needles and her thoughts were not going to leave her alone. “Thank you for, you know, listening.”

“You’re family Caroline. It’s what we do.” That made Caroline smile, hearing Elena say such things. They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Caroline pondered on what to do next and decided that a shower was in order. She pulled herself from the bed, dug out some clothes from her duffle bag and headed towards the bathroom; turning the shower on full blast. She let the hot water soak over her body for a good long while until her skin was starting to prune. She grabbed one of the fluffy white hotel towels and wrapped it around herself.

She realized that the police put her in a nicer motel than she would have thought. It was a chain, certainly, and not what she would consider fancy, but it was not the rundown, rent by the hour, type of place she would have expected from the Atlanta P.D. She combed through her wet curls with her fingers before wiping down the fogged mirror with a hand town. She tossed the towel on the floor, something she would not dare do in her own home and turned to face the mirror; giving herself a heart attack in the process.

Klaus was standing directly behind her.

“I knew it. I knew I saw you.” Caroline said in a whisper as she made eye contact with him through the mirror. Klaus tossed her an almost cocky smirk and crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall directly beside the shower. “You’ve been following me, haven’t you? That day in the cemetery, you were there. What are you doing here? Did you kill Stephen?”

“Do you really think that low of me?” His voice was like she remembered from when she spent the night with him nearly a week prior. It sent a chill down her body and seeped into her bones. Caroline if it was the steam from the shower that was slowly evaporating but the air seemed to grow just a hair colder and the smell of sulfur touched her nostrils.

“I don’t even know you.”

“Oh, I think you know me quite well, Sweetheart.” Klaus replied and the pet name almost coming out as a purr off of his tongue. His blue eyes flashed cold as they traveled over her body that was covered with nothing but a towel. Caroline felt her body flush at the memory of him pressed against her and inside her. As though he knew where her mind had traveled, his smirk grew more pronounced and the dimples in his cheeks increased. “But to answer your questions, yes I’ve been looking out for you and no, I did not kill your stepfather.”

“How did you know he was my stepfather? I don’t remember ever telling you of him. Not that we did much talking but that’s beside the point.” Caroline fired back and Klaus almost seemed amused by her questioning and pleased by her acknowledgment of the other night. She wanted to be angry with him and act on the violent feelings she had when speaking with Detective de Martel, but she found those impulses were gone. Once again Caroline thought back on Cami’s letter and a thousand more questions burned in the back of her mind. “And how did you know Cami?”

“I see you got her letter. I tried to leave it in an obvious place.” Klaus told with the tilt of his head. A memory surfaced in Caroline’s mind of the morning the stepped through that front door after spending the night with Klaus; the smell of sulfur hanging in the air, just as it was now. She sucked in a breath, realizing why Klaus was not in bed with her when she woke the following morning. He wanted to beat her to the house in order to place the letter.

“The letter. You put the letter on the fireplace after….”

“Yes.”

“Is everything in her letter true? About my father? Was his death not…was it not cancer that took him?” Caroline’s voice broke, memories of her father’s weakened body lying in a hospice bed moments before the life left his eyes. She could remember his hollowed voice and how he spoke to something or someone in the room that she could not see. She held his hand until the very last moment and until he was gone. “Was he murdered? Was he killed just like my mother?”

“I do not know but it would not surprise me. I can try and find out for you, if you’d like. I’ll even do it without asking anything in return.” Klaus told her gently and she almost thought he sounded sad, as though he was showing her empathy towards Bill’s death. Here was a man she knew very little about and one that clearly knew more about her than he was willing to let on. Caroline shook her head in the negative, allowing herself to revisit the possibility at a later date, she was not sure she could handle thinking on her father’s death when Stephen’s was so fresh. “As far your first question, Cami and I met a few years back and she asked a favor of me, so we made a deal. She kept her end of the bargain and now I’m keeping mine.”

“What kind of deal?”

“Let’s just say your aunt was willing to do anything to keep you safe. She loved you very much.” Klaus eyed her again, his eyes tracing over her. He had seen every inch of her already but standing before him in nothing more than a towel made Caroline feel more vulnerable than she expected. Perhaps it was because this wasn’t physical, but emotional and Caroline always found that feelings were harder to deal with than sex.

“Safe from what?” Caroline demanded to know. Klaus just stared at her quizzically, as though studying her and seeing exactly how her mind worked. She could feel his eyes pouring into her in a way that she was not familiar with. There was just something about Klaus that made her both equally feel safe and terrified. “The shadows? They were there when I found Stephen’s body.”

“Very good.” Klaus beamed with what Caroline assumed was pride. The look made her want to rejoice but she stopped herself. The last thing she wanted to do was seek this man’s approval for anything, at least not until she had answers and even then, Caroline felt that she did not need it. However, Klaus was her only living link to what was going on and she would do just about anything for answers. “I knew you would figure it out.”

“Yeah, well I’m more than just a pretty face.”

“That’s why I like you.”

“Is that why you slept with me? Because you like me? Or was it apart of this deal you made with Cami?”

“Both. Kind of.” Klaus pushed away from the shower and strolled over to stand directly behind Caroline, their eyes still looked through the mirror. His fingertips reached out and hoovered just above her shoulders but her leaned down and touched her. “I promised to protect you and that is what I’m going to do. Being with you, joining with you made that easier. The pleasure of the act was just a bonus. Trust me, Love, I enjoyed it immensely. So, did you if I recall correctly.”

“What do the shadows want with me? God. What even are they?” Caroline asked, brushing aside the heat the swelled up inside her at having him so near but his touch so far away. Confirmation that Stephen’s death was in part due to this thing that was haunting her caused the very fresh wave of grief to rise up inside her. Tears pooled in her eyes and the leaked out down her face. “Why did they kill Stephen? Did you know? Why not keep him safe from them too?”

“Stephen was not a part of the deal, Sweetheart and neither was your father. Just you.” Caroline tensed and the flash of gold in Klaus’s eyes told her he noticed. “I was not aware of the orders on his life. If I had known, I might have intervened, but I cannot claim for certain but once I knew what had occurred, I came as quickly as I could and ensured that you got to this hotel safely.” Klaus turned his head to the side as though he heard something, but Caroline could not hear anything out of the ordinary. “In time everything will make sense. The shadows. Who they work for and what they want? Me. Even the deal your aunt made on your behalf. In the end, I’ll see you through. You have my word.”

“What-“

“Just make sure you do not leave this hotel room tonight. Do you understand me? No matter what you hear or who you hear. Do not leave this motel room.” Klaus’s voice went deeper, and Caroline felt as though she was frozen, as though a harsh winter settled into her bones. His eyes flickered out of the bathroom and into the main room and once again acting as though he heard something. This time, Caroline could hear a high-pitched whine, something that clearly did not sound human.

Caroline turned around at the sound, but Klaus was gone. Her heartbeat picked up and she swallowed. There was no way he could have left that bathroom without her noticing. Then again, she did not hear him enter it either. She looked around and nothing seemed out of place, but she could not deny that the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. Her head turned towards the mirror and a slight movement caught her eye. She turned to face the mirror and there was Klaus standing directly beside her, except when she turned her head, he was not there.

“What are you?”

“Do not leave this hotel room. For anything.” Klaus stepped out of the mirror and was gone from Caroline’s sight. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and the room continued to get colder. She heard something that sounded like a creak out into the main room and then a loud thump. She grabbed her clothes and dressed quickly and ran her hands through her wet hair, the creaking grew louder.

Slowly, Caroline stepped out of the bathroom and look at around. She could feel a stillness in the air. She took a deep breath and when she exhaled, she swore she could almost see her breath hang in the air. When she heard a loud thump directly out her hotel room door and what sounded liked the doorknob rattling, Caroline froze. Someone, or something was trying to get into her room.

Caroline summoned all of her bravery, she walked over to the door and touched the doorknob, recoiling her hand when she realized how hot the knob was. She cradled her hand staring at the door in confusion. All the lessons from those firefighters that had come to her school when she was a child surfaced. If a doorknob was hot it meant that there was a fire on the other side; however, Caroline doubted whether or not those lessons would prove useful here. Something told her that this wasn’t a typical circumstance.

She looked down at the small gap where the door met the floor and began to back away; her eyes trained on that spot. The traditional yellow and white light that was lighting up the hallway was changing and fading into a different color. Slowly the white turned to pink and into a deep red and appeared as though it was about to come through the edges of the door. Caroline started to hear a hazy whistle echo in her ears, and she pressed her hands to her ears to block out the sound.

Yet it grew louder and louder; the knob on the door still jiggling as though something was trying to get inside. Caroline’s back hit the wall and her horrified eyes continue to start at the door that was illuminating red, terrified that if she blinked even for a second that the light would consumer her. The high-pitched noise grew louder and louder until Caroline thought her ear drums would burst and then it was silent.

Completely silent.

Caroline lowered her hands from her ears; only hearing the pounding of her own heart. Her breath still hung in the air as though she was standing outside in the middle of winter. Yet, the adrenaline and fear that was pumping through her veins caused her not to feel the cold anymore. The red light was gone, and the creaking and thumping sound seemed to have ceased, making Caroline wonder if whatever it was that was trying to get it left. Her eyes flickered to the small gap at the bottom of the door and realized that there was nothing; no light or moving shadow…just pitch black.

Before Caroline could really think on the change or try and explain anything that had just occurred, there was a small knock on the door. The knock was light and gentle, a huge contrast from the thumping and pounding that had occurred earlier. It wasn’t a knock one would expect from a cleaning staff or even a neighbor banging on the door in order to complain about the noise. The knock sounded almost polite.

The knock happened again and then a third time before…

“Caroline?” A feminine voice sounded through the door that caused Caroline to freeze. It had been almost twenty years since she heard that voice and over time, she had forgotten what it sounded like. She sucked in a breath; willing the hope that swelled up inside her to be true. “Caroline? Honey, its Mommy. Can you open the door?”

“Mom?” Caroline could hear the tears in her own voice. She had imagined a thousand times what it would be like to speak to her mother. She had questions about everything under the sun and no one who would provide answers, but most of all, she just wanted to know what lead to her death and what took Liz from her.

Caroline wanted to know why she never had a mother.

She sprung forward, all but running towards the door in order to open in and hoped that she could once again see her mother whose face was blurry in her memory. Other than a few treasured possessions and the rare photos Cami had let her see, Caroline had little to no recollection of what her mother looked like; outside of the bloody memory of Liz’s death.

When Caroline reached the door, she held out her hand in order to grip the knob, not caring if it would burn her or not. However, Caroline felt a pair of arms wrap around her middle and pull her from the door. She tilted her head upward to see that is was Klaus holding. Physically, holding and not some apparition in a mirror. She wanted to kick and scream at him but all she could really focus on was getting to that door and seeing her mother again.

“Let go of me!” She screamed at him, but Klaus was not letting go. She clawed at his arms and kicked him, but he was not moving; it was almost as though her assault had little to no effect on him at all. His grip grew tighter and he pulled her from the door. “That is my mom! Let me go! I want to see my mom!”

“Honey open the door. Please. It’s mommy.”

“Caroline. I promise you. That is not your mother out there. It’s just mimicking her voice to get you to open the door. We locked it out and it is desperate to get to you. If you open that door Caroline, you won’t be going like what is going to happen.” Caroline continued to fight against him, trying to tune him out. “I’ve marked you Caroline. That day in the cemetery, the shadows could sense me on you, and they want to rid you of it and trust me, it will not be as pleasant as what I did to you. That is not your mother.”

“It’s not?”

“Caroline. It’s me. Open the door.”

“No. It’s not.” Klaus’s voice was gentle and almost kind, like it had been the night they met at the bar. Caroline stopped fighting and slumped against Klaus’s chest. Her knees gave out and she sank down to the floor; Klaus following suit. The creature on the other side of the door mimicked Liz’s voice again only this time it seemed more aggressive and angrier than before. Gone was the gentle and polite knock, replaced with a fierce pounding. Klaus growled and Caroline was taken aback by how inhumane it sounded. “Elijah. Fix this.”

Caroline looked around but the man she had met only a few hours earlier was nowhere to be seen. The pounding on the door persisted until it turned into a giant thump as though the knocker was pushed against the door. Caroline heard screech of pain from the other side of the door and then deathly silence. The burning smell returned for a moment before vanishing again.

“I don’t understand. What was that?” Caroline asked in a high-pitched voice that was boarder line hysterical. Her breathing started to increase, and she could feel the panic begin to rise up inside her. This was not what she expected. She was supposed to be laughing and having dinner with Stephen while they reminisce over Cami. He wasn’t supposed to be dead and she most certainly was not meant to be terrified of some monster using her mother’s voice to lure her into some trap.

“You need to stay calm, Sweetheart.”

“No. You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to have sex with me under the guise of a one-night stand and only to turn up when someone I love is murdered and expect me to remain calm! What the fuck was that!? What is going on? What are the shadows and why is everyone I love-“Klaus leaned in and pulled her into a kiss; cutting off her tirade. The kiss was bruising and passionate, memories of their night together flashed before her eyes and despite her anger, she could not help but fall into the kiss. When they broke apart, Caroline could not help but notice that limbs felt heavy and her eyes were going hazy.

“All in good time, Love, you will understand everything. It’s just too soon.” Klaus whispered to her. Her body went limp against him and her eyelids fluttered shut. “I’m sorry for this Sweetheart. I thought I would have more time, but I promise that I will keep you safe.”

Klaus leaned down and kissed her forehead, rocking her to a rhythm she could not hear. Caroline drifted off to sleep in his arms, listening to his promises of safety, but all Caroline wanted was an explanation.


	6. Georgia in the Rearview

“Ms. Forbes?!” The sounds of her name and the pounding of the door pulled Caroline from a deep sleep. The bed was unfamiliar to Caroline as she slowly woke from a hazy sleep. The sheets were too rough and tight since the edges were tucked into the mattress. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but not the worst place she had slept either. Caroline shared a bed with Stefan for three years on the nights he stayed over, and he was a blanket hog. That and he kicked in his sleep. She would take sleeping in an odd bed in a hotel over ever sleeping next to him again.

She turned her head and looked around the room, her mind was still hazy from sleep and she was having difficulty remembering the night before. She remembered the detective dropping her off at the room and speaking with Elena on the phone for a while. She remembered having a good cry over Stephen. Then she took a shower and went to sleep. She remembered that. Then a flicker of another memory made its way to the surface; the noise, the banging, the red light, Klaus…. And her mother’s voice. But it was a nightmare; it had to have been a nightmare.

“Ms. Forbes! Open the door.” Caroline jerked from her thoughts as the angry man on the other side of the door pounded on it again. She pulled herself from the bed and stood, her feet touching the hard carpet of the motel. She quickly ran her fingers through her blond curls, roughly pulling through a few knots that occurred during her sleep. She walked over to the door and looked through the peephole to see Detective de Martel on the other side. She unlocked the door and opened it.

“Sorry, I was sleeping.” Caroline told him in a brisk greeting as she looked over his appearance. He was in the same clothing as the night before except that it was wrinkled, appearing as though he had slept in them. He smelled as though his skin had been singed, a smell that sparked a memory from the nightmare Caroline had the night before. She could see the dark circles under his eyes and the terror behind them as well.

“What did you do to me?” His voice was hoarse as though he had been screaming for hours. He was looking at he as though she was sent from his own personal hell and Caroline was confused as to what she could have possibly done to put him in such a state. “The last thing I remember is taking your statement, I walked away and the next thing I know is that I’m waking up in my car outside your dead step-father’s apartment building.”

“I didn’t anything to you.”

“Did I bring you here last night?” His question took Caroline off guard. Her brows creased in confusion; trying to remember the previous night. It was hazy and scattered. She remembered Stephen’s body, vividly, and speaking with the detective but from that point on, her memory seemed odd. She remembers coming to the hotel, but everything was choppy after that. “Because my superior is telling me I drove you here. There is even security footage of the two of us riding up the elevator, but I have no memory of doing that. Did I bring you here?”

“I don’t know. I think so.” Caroling crossed her arms, uncomfortable at the obscured memory she seemed to be experiencing. Anger started to swell up in her chest and she shook her head, giving him an angry look. “Look, someone I loved was murdered last night and you’re asking me if you brought me here? How much did you have to drink to black out while investigating my stepdad’s murder hmm?”

“Why do you have a car full of occult items?” de Martel demanded to know, and Caroline’s eyes widened in surprise. She had forgotten about that trunk for a moment, having brought it along for Stephen to look at and answer her questions. She briefly thought on it the night before, she remembered that, but de Martel assured her that her car would be there in the morning, but was it him? A flash of brown eyes and a soft smile entered her mind; a smile that did not belong to the detective standing in front of her.

“You went through my car!?” Caroline hissed, as far as she knew he couldn’t do that without a warrant. She would have not consented to the search and yet it was clear that he did so without her knowledge. Not caring about her outrage de Martel reached out and pulled her into the hallway, slamming the door behind him, gripped her shoulders and spun her around.

What Caroline saw etched onto the white door caused her to suck in a breath. A pentagram was burned into the wood. The star was darker than the circle that surrounded it and the words that were written within the burn marks were foreign, in a language that Caroline could not understand. However, there was something familiar about the words and the way they were written, as though she had seen such handwriting before.

“Can you explain that?” de Martel hissed at her and she turned to him and she could see the anger and fury seeping out of him. It was clear that he was a man who was always in control and to be out of it with no answers was not something he knew how to handle. Caroline shook her head negatively at his question; only causing him to give a furious sigh and glare at her. “I want you out of Atlanta. Now. I don’t know what insane witchcraft or voodoo you brought with you from New Orleans, but I don’t want it here.”

“Wha-“

“That symbol…” de Martel pointed to the pentagram on the door. “or something like it was found in your stepfather’s apartment last night and it looks like whoever killed him, murdered him on top of it like some weird ritual sacrifice! I want you out of my city and you take whatever evil you brought along with you. Get dressed and grab your things. I’m taking you back to your car and I want you gone.”

“I thought you said I couldn’t leave?” Caroline snapped back. In truth, all she wanted to do was leave. She wanted to get in her car, head back home and try and live a normal life while she settled into the familiar feeling of grief. She wanted to forget about every strange thing that had occurred since the night she received the phone call about Cami’s stroke, or even since the afternoon the shadows firsts appeared to her again. She wished that she could go back to believing that the shadows were nothing more than figments of her overactive imagination, but she knew that was not possible.

“I apparently spoke to Ms. Deveraux last night too, a conversation I have no memory of but apparently I reported it to my boss. You were not in Atlanta at the time of Mr. Marshall’s death and have been cleared. Whatever is going one with you, I do not want it in my city. Do I make myself clear?” De Martel’s eyes traced over her and Caroline wondered if anyone had ever looked at her with that much contempt in her life before. Seeing that she grew up in a house with one person who really hated her, that was saying something.

_Shit._

_Hayley._

“Has someone spoken to my step-sister? Hayley Marshall?” The look the detective gave her clearly told her that he did not want to answer any of her questions, no matter how important they were. Caroline gave a huff of annoyance and turned back into the hotel room. “Fine. I’ll dress and tell her myself that her father’s been murdered.”

“I, apparently, spoke to Ms. Marshall last night.” He snapped and Caroline nodded, turning back into the room, closing the door behind her. She dressed quickly, brushed her teeth and did the best she could with her hair before tossing it into a messy bun. When she was ready, she grabbed her bag and opened the door to see the detective still staring at that mark on the door. She wondered how he was going to explain the pentagram to the hotel staff or the police department, but Caroline was glad that she was not going to be the one who had to because she had no answers to give.

Detective de Martel drove her back to Stephen’s building in order to retrieve her car. The car looked the same as it had been the night before, but she noticed that he seemed to operate the car with more familiarity than the night before. He did not fumble or appear as awkward behind the wheel. The sight also caused Caroline to have a flash of another man driving that car, a man who appeared in her nightmare the night before. However, it was the smell of lingering sulfur that hung in the air that really began to prickle at Caroline’s memory.

De Martel was silent the entire way, although Caroline did not put forth much effort in engaging him in conversation. Typically, Caroline hated lingering silence, always wanting to fill the void with chatter but she found that her thoughts were far too chaotic for conversation with someone who clearly never wanted to see her again.

Her mind was torn between the events of the previous night she remembered and the nightmare she was beginning to wonder actually happened. Mix all of the confusion with the overflowing grief she was feeling and shock that was still lingering beneath her skin; Caroline was almost surprised that she was not a sobbing mess. She would be. The breakdown was coming but it just had not completely hit her yet.

When they reached the apartment building, a drive that took twice as long as the night before, the detective did not even get out of the car. Caroline was barley closing the car door before he was speeding down the street, putting as much distance between her and himself as quickly as he could. Caroline rolled her eyes and was pleased to be away from him. She walked towards her car, digging in her bag in search for her keys; mentally calculating the seven-hour drive back to Mystic Falls.

_“You Bitch!”_

Caroline’s attention turned to see someone storming towards her. Before she could react, Caroline found herself slammed up against her car, dropping her duffle bag to the ground. She covered her head as another blow was being swung her way, but her assailant was pulled off her quickly before any real harm was done.

“Shit! Hayley! Stop it. Don’t do this! Not here!” Caroline straightened herself to see her stepsister being held back by Tyler, who still looked tall, dark and handsome; only now a neatly trimmed beard around his chin. Hayley looked the same as she always had, shoulder length brown hair, dark beady eyes and wearing an outfit that she once told Caroline it made her feel edgy. However, Caroline thought that the jeans, combat boots and flannel shirts went out of style in the 1990s but she was not about to make that comment.

“What are you doing here?” Hayley hissed, glaring at Caroline. The last time they had seen one another was when Caroline caught her Hayley riding Tyler three days after her father had passed and only a few hours after she buried him. “You have some nerve showing up here after what you’ve done!”

“Enlighten me Hayley. What exactly have I done this time?” Caroline asked her in an exasperated tone. The entirety of their childhood was Hayley blaming Caroline for whatever misfortune she found herself in and for a while Caroline thought she was at fault. She could assume exactly what Hayley was going to say to her. She was going to blame her for Stephen’s death. Unfortunately, Caroline almost agreed with her. Caroline was certain she saw the shadows over Stephen’s body the previous night. Whatever it was that was haunting Caroline, killed Stephen.

“The dumb blonde routine? You’re going to go with that?” Hayley shook her head; angry and devastated tears were streaming down her face. Caroline felt bad for her and in a perfect world, they would be coming together in their grief in order to mourn their loss, but Hayley held so much hatred for Caroline to ever make that possible, even if Caroline felt she was the more injured party in their relationship. The hefty ring on Hayley’s left finger only proved that. “It’s your fault my dad is dead. You did this-“

“Babe. That’s not fair.” Tyler cut in and Hayley turned to glare at her fiancé. “Look, from what the detective said last night, Caroline wasn’t even in Georgia when he was killed. You knew she was coming for a visit. Whatever, happened to Stephen is not Care’s fault.” While it was nice that Tyler was defending her, the use of her nickname he had given her stung. The last real conversation they had was the her throwing things at him while he ran out of the house with a bedsheet around his waist.

“No. She is cursed. Everyone around her dies.” Hayley tossed her another scathing look. It was a look Caroline was used to getting from her; and it was always accompanied by a huff of indignation. “Look at her track record. Her mother was murdered. Her father had a long, agonizing death. Her aunt Cami just died of a stroke I heard….and she even took my own father. I told him that you were cursed and to cut ties with you, but he didn’t listen. Begged me to actually get to know you but I do know you Caroline. Better than anyone and there is something wrong with you.”

“Hayley-“

“No Tyler. I shared a room with her for years. I remember the never-ending nightmares and the darkened room just seemed…. wrong. Like the darkness moved or hoovered over her. I don’t know. People around her die and everything she touches is cursed.” Hayley crossed her arms. “Leave and do not even think about coming to his funeral. You’re not welcome Caroline. Get the hell out of my life and stay there.”

With that, Hayley turned and headed back into the apartment building, Caroline assumed to go back up to Stephen’s apartment. Caroline wondered if it would have been cleaned but she supposed that someone had to have let them in. Most likely to grab important documents or something. Caroline did not know. Tyler turned to looked at Caroline and he wore a more sympathetic stare. Seeing him gaze at her and all the sour memories of the love she once held for him gave to the surface. It was Tyler’s betrayal that hurt more than Hayley’s and Caroline found she wanted nothing less than to go down memory lane with him.

“Listen. I’m sorry. She is really broken up about Stephen and I know you must be too. He was like a dad to you or was a dad I mean. I’ll try and talk to her about allowing you to come back for the funeral. Okay?” Caroline said nothing but continued to glare at him. She bent down to pick up her bag and Tyler clearly could not sense her irritation with him. He never was one who was able to read her moods. “And I’m sorry to hear about your aunt. I know that you guys were close.”

“Tyler.”

“Yeah?”

“Fuck off.” Caroline turned and opened her car door, climbing inside. She did not spare him a single glance before pulling out of her parking space. Perhaps she should have been the bigger person and thanked him for pulling Hayley off of her. Once she had gotten her bearings, Caroline knew she could have stood on her own against her, having done so in the past, but she no longer wanted Tyler to come to her rescue; not that he ever had before. What she wanted was to forget either of them existed at all.

Caroline looked down at the dashboard and saw that it was getting close to ten in the morning. If she made no stops outside getting gas, she could make it home by early evening if traffic cooperated. She sent a quick text to Elena letting her know that she was on her way home and roughly what time to expect her. Tossing her phone onto the seat beside her, Caroline turned the music up as loud as she could stand and tried to keep her thoughts away from everything that had gone wrong.

She was not successful. She had eight hours to ponder over the belongings in the trunk resting in the back seat of her car, along with Cami’s letter. She thought on Stephen’s sudden murder in conjunction with her mother’s. Caroline could not un-see Stephen’s mangled body and how it seemed so similar to Liz’s. Nausea rolled in her stomach and halfway down the highway, just past the Georgia state line that merged into South Carolina, Caroline pulled off to the left side of the busy interstate. She opened her car door and dry heaved the little bit of bile that rolled around in her stomach onto the pavement; the sound of passing cars rushing by her.

Caroline realized that she had not eaten in over twenty-four hours but found that she had no appetite to find somewhere to stop. Instead, she pushed onward, continuing north while listening to the blaring music in order to keep the thoughts at bay. She couldn’t break down now. She would wait until she was home, with Elena and she would let herself cry.

The last few memories she shared with her dying father surfaced and she wondered if everything the doctor told them was wrong. Was there something far more sinister at play? Why did her father die such a slow, agonizing death when both her mother’s and Stephen’s were far more brutal? Five years he was dead and suddenly Caroline felt like she just lost him all over again. She promised herself that she wouldn’t cry until she was home, but it was a promise that broke, for several tears slid down her cheeks as she passed another state line.

It was a quarter to six in the evening when she finally pulled into her driveway. Elena was already out the door and down her porch steps by the time Caroline was out of the car. Like a lightning bolt, Caroline broke. He knees gave out and Elena caught her; wrapping her arms around her and for the first time since she saw Stephen’s dead body, Caroline felt safe.

“Hey. I got you. Okay? I have you.” Elena’s words whispered to her. Elena helped guide her into the house and out of the corner of her tear stained eyes, she saw Damon holding the door open for them. Even he looked at her sympathetically and she really did not know how to process that. “Can you bring her stuff in? Then maybe make something for dinner? I have a feeling we’ll be here for a while?”

“Yeah. No problem.” Damon replied as Elena guided Caroline to the couch. They sat down and Caroline immediately laid on her side, resting her head in Elena’s lap. The weight of not only Cami and Stephen’s deaths but everything that had transpired since. The shadows, Cami’s letter and Klaus, unsure what memories from the night before were real or not.

She felt as though her entire being was ripped from her chest as she let all her emotions flow out. Elena’s fingers weaved through her curls, whispering sweet words to her that were meant to be comforting. Yet, Caroline could not hear them; her mind focusing on the cold feeling that was settling into her chest and the desire to lash out at something, anything.

When she was able to calm down, she noticed that the sun had fully set, and the only light came from the few lamps in her living room; and an echo of light from the kitchen where she could smell food being cook.

“Sorry.” Caroline muttered, wiping a few stray tears from her face. She took a deep breath and sat up. She leaned against the back of her couch; gazing at Elena’s worried brown eyes. She glanced around the room and saw that Cami’s belongings lingered around in odd places. “Thank you, for taking care of this. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Elena smiled and reached out for her hand; giving it a tight squeeze. “Talk to me. What do you need?”

“Honestly? I don’t even know.” The words of the last few days spilled from her lips. She told her of going through Cami’s house and how it felt sorting through her belongs; and how little her aunt had in regard to sentimental value. She refrained from mentioning the letter because she did not know what it meant; if it meant that her father’s death was not from cancer at all. She told her about finding Stephen and Hayley’s harsh words. “I don’t know. Maybe Hayley is right. Maybe I’m cursed.”

“You’re not.” Elena told her empathetically. Damon came into the living room with two dishes of some kind of pasta in a red sauce; ingredients that did not come from her kitchen. She thanked him as he walked back into her kitchen and twirled the pasta on her fork, her stomach screaming for the sustenance. Caroline did not realize how hungry she was. Perhaps it was Damon’s Italian heritage, but Caroline had to admit that he could cook even if he was not her favorite person in the world. “Hayley is just jealous of you. You always had this, happy light about you that she wanted.”

“I doubt that.” Caroline muttered as she picked at her food. Her mind wondered to Cami’s funeral and how she felt touching her mother’s grave. “I think I’m going crazy.” Before Elena could responded, Caroline pressed forward. “I keep seeing them. The shadows and then I swear they are talking to me.”

“It’s natural Caroline.” Elena implored. “You just lost two people so close to the anniversary of your dad’s death. I see my parents all the time. Sometimes I swear that are in the room with me. I can smell my mom’s perfume from time to time and I hear my dad’s laugh sometimes. It’s just your way of grieving.”

“I feel like I’m going crazy. Like really loosing it.”

“You’re not! Remember what Dr. Maxfield said. The shadows most likely were a manifestation of you mom’s murder. It is no surprise that they are coming out in your mind now.” Elena smiled at her weakly and Caroline almost wanted to believe her but the memory of Stephen telling her that Cami was a practicing wiccan, whatever that meant, and everything that she had experienced proved Elena wrong. It was also something she refrained from mentioning to her best friend, not wanting to really believe that such darkness was real. “Things will get better, okay?”

“I keep having these dreams.” Caroline shook her head. “Like, last night I was in that stupid motel the police put me up in and I swore that there was something trying to get inside. Banging on the door and a red light behind it. Then I heard my mom’s voice on the other side.” Not mentioning the pentagram that was burned onto the door for freaking Elena out completely. “I went to answer the door and then Klaus pulled me back…”

“Klaus? Whose Klaus?”

“Oh...yeah. Klaus.” Caroline blushed deep red and Elena’s eyes went wide. She grew a smile.

“Wait. What are you not telling me?” Caroline’s mind raced with how to explain Klaus and whether or not he was connected to Cami. She decided to leave that out. “Caroline Elizabeth Forbes, what are you hiding?”

“I might have had a one-night stand in New Orleans.” Elena’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. “His name was Klaus and he was this European guy in town on business and I met him while getting dinner at a pub and the next thing I know he is taking me back to the place he was staying, and we ended up having sex. Oh my god will you stop looking at me like that!”

“Okay. Sorry.” Elena shook off her surprise and raised her eyebrow. “So, in the midst of going through your aunt’s things you met what I’m assuming was a hot guy, had sex with him and now he made a cameo in your dreams. He was that good?” Elena asked and Caroline nodded. “Well, damn it! Good for you!”

“Elena!”

“No. You needed that. It was a good stress relief! Out of everything that has happened to you recently, you needed something good to old onto. If a one-night stand with a stranger that brought you the good sex you’ve been lacking, then so be it.”

“Wait, Blondie got laid?” Damon asked as he walked into the room to grab their dirty dishes and Elena all but threw a pillow at him. He dodged it and it landed by the Cami’s trunk that Damon must have brought in at some point during her crying fit. “Good for her!”

“Damon! Out! Girl talk!” Elena cried and her husband quickly left the room. She turned back to Caroline and gave her an apologetic smile. Frankly, Caroline did not care about Damon’s opinion on her sex life; seeing that he wasn’t a part of it anymore he got zero say in what she did with her body. “Have you spoken to him since?”

“Kind of.” Caroline shrugged, not really sure how to explain the conversation she had with his reflection in the motel bathroom, if it even occurred. Elena smiled widely and Caroline knew her best friend. Elena was already imagining the happy ending she wanted Caroline to have. “But, everything with Stephen happened and I don’t know if I can focus on anything else right now. Especially a man.”

“That’s fair.” Elena nodded but Caroline could see the slight disappointment in her eyes. She reached over and pulled Caroline into a hug. “Feeling better?” Caroline nodded and she did. Everything still hurt and it would for a long while, but she was well enough to be alone. Greif was something she wasn’t a stranger too. She knew how this road worked. “Do you want me to stay?”

“No. Go home. I’ll see you later.” Elena nodded and gave Caroline one last hug before pulling her husband out of the kitchen. Damon gave Caroline a warm smile, offering his condolences as Caroline shut the door behind them as they left. She leaned against the wood door breathing in a sigh of relief. It was good to be home and in her own territory. Perhaps it was foolish, but she felt safe in her own walls; almost as though nothing could touch her there. She knew that it was wrong, but this was her home.

Her eyes trailed the dark house, looking for the shadows and she found none. Caroline realized that she had not seen them the entire day and it made her wonder why. Perhaps whatever it was that occurred the prior night, if it indeed had happened, chased them off for the time being. Or maybe she really was going crazy. Bill had always told Caroline that she was no crazier than he was, and how badly she wanted to believe him. She closed her eyes and let a memory take over her; no matter how painful thinking on her father was.

_“What are you doing this late pumpkin?” Bill’s voice sounded from the archway into the living room. A fifteen-year-old Caroline was curled up on the couch, watching a mindless late-night show as three in the morning. Bill moved over to the couch and sat down beside her. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”_

_“Can’t sleep.” Caroline told him simply and Bill nodded. Caroline was not one who found sleep easily without some sort of aid. She looked at her father’s face and she could see the worry there. “I had another nightmare. About mom.”_

_“Pumpkin. Come here.” Bill reached out and pulled her into a loving hug. Caroline let a few tears slid over her cheeks and he kissed the top of her head. It was typically Stephen who was better at comforting her, but Bill had his moments. “You haven’t had a dream about her in a long time. What triggered it?”_

_“I don’t know.” Caroline told him honestly. Nothing out of the ordinary happened other than getting into another argument with Damon. “I just had a dream about mom. It wasn’t even a bad one…about what happened. I was just having a tea party and she was playing with me. That’s all.” Caroline paused. “Except the shadows were in the dream too and mom talked to them like they were her friends. I don’t know. It was strange.”_

_“You haven’t seen them, have you?” Bill asked in a tight voice._

_“No. I haven’t.” Caroline replied truthfully and she could feel Bill relax beside her. “So, don’t go and start scheduling another appointment with Dr. Maxfield. I’m fine.” Bill nodded but part of Caroline wondered if she would be seeing the shrink soon anyway. “Can you tell me about her? Mom I mean?”_

_“Caroline-“_

_“Please? You never talk about her. I just want to know what she was like.”_

_“Fearless.” Bill replied in a hollow voice. “Much like you.” Caroline beamed at that. “You have her smile and her wit. She was impossible to keep up with. Stubborn to a fault.” Bill took another deep breath and looked at his daughter. “You look like her. Sometimes when you toss an annoyed look at Hayley or roll your eyes behind her back, I see Liz in you.”_

Caroline pulled herself from the memory and pushed off the door. It was the only time she could remember her father speaking of her mother. Bill had a tendency to freeze up whenever Liz was mentioned and always wore a scowl when Cami was topic of conversation. Caroline never fully understood why Bill hated her mother’s family. She knew the divorce was nasty and that he had walked out on them when Caroline was not even two months old.

To hear that she was similar to her mother, one who she only remembered being alive in her dreams, was comforting. She wondered now at Stephen’s confession about Cami being a wiccan, Caroline still unsure what that had meant, and the fact that Liz had been one too; if that was the reason why Bill never spoke of them. Cami never reveled any inkling of such a practice to her and perhaps it was so Bill would continue to allow contact with Caroline. Caroline wondered if Bill was scared Cami was going to bring her into that lifestyle.

The pentagram on the motel door flashed in her mind and she was glad Cami never did.

Caroline moved to the trunk and opened it. She gazed over the bizarre items, the pendant that hung from a hook on the lid and searched for the photo she stashed in there as she had scrambled to finish packing up Cami’s room. Caroline’s eyes glanced over Cami’s younger face for a moment before settling on Liz’s, completely ignoring Jane-Anne and the fourth woman whom Caroline had no name to place with her dark face. She gazed at the light blue eyes, bright smile and blonde hair that hung in Liz’s face. Caroline could see similar features in her mother that she shared.

It brought out a painful longing that Caroline was familiar with. What she would give to have one conversation with her mother; but it was something that would never come to pass. Tears pooled in her eyes, but Caroline was done crying. She was done crying over her mother and father, and Cami and Stephen. In a fit of anger and frustration, she took the photo and tossed it down the hallway and into her kitchen, listening to the glass shatter on the ground.

Caroline laid on the back on the wood floor for a moment, trying to quench her anger. This bout of anger she had been experiencing for the last few days took her by surprise. Caroline was neurotic and obsessive but never an angry person. Perhaps it was everything that she experienced in such a short period of time, but Caroline wondered if it was something else lingering under her skin; something pulsing in her veins. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on anything else but the simmering fury she was feeling. Part of her wished she could hear the shadows whispering to her, but they were silent. Caroline was alone in her house and in that moment, she realized how they always seemed to linger in the dark, watching her.

When the knowledge of the broken glass littering her floor became too much for her to bear, Caroline pushed herself from the floor and went to clean up the mess. She swept the glass into the dustpan and made a mental note to buy another frame for that picture, because she would be keeping it. She dumped the glass into the trash can and went to pick up the frame and the photo that had fallen out of it. There was handwriting on the back that Caroline recognized as her aunt’s. It was a name and an address for what Caroline assumed was some kind of shop.

_Bennett’s Herb and Tarot Shop_   
_Sheila Bennett_   
_68 Kings Street, Richmond, Virginia_


	7. The Family Name

_Caroline strolled through the city of the dead. The tombs standing tall above the ground in an opposing manner that gave an eerie chill to the air. She looked down at the long, black silk gown that was wearing, wondering where it had come from. She could feel the open back as the breeze gently graced her skin. She could hear the clicking of her heels against the stone walkway._

_She reached out to touch the stone tombs as she passed, embracing the hazy hue that sky seemed to hold. The light was too bright and the air too cold. She turned her head and down a slim alleyway was a mirror that did not belong there. Caroline caught a glimpse of herself; beautiful, with her hair elegantly done and a crown of bone and flesh perched on her head. It was as though she wasn’t seeing herself but instead the darkness the lived under her skin. The mark on her shoulder burned a searing angry red against her pale skin._

_Caroline turned away from her false reflection and continued trailing along the tombs until she stood in front of a familiar grave. She reached out and traced the name that was faded with the age of two decades behind it. Elizabeth O’Connell-Forbes. She waited for the letters to grow dark with the embrace of the shadows, but she knew better. They couldn’t reach her here, wherever here was._

_Her gaze turned downward as she watched three more names being added to the list. Camille O’Connell, William Forbes and Stephen Marshall were all being carved in the same elegant writing as her mother’s name._

_“No. This is wrong.” Caroline whispered. “They don’t belong here.”_

_“It has started.” Caroline turned to see Monique Deveraux standing at the end of the way, holding what appeared to be a dark orb in her hands. Her voice was soft and gentle, but her words were far to articulate for someone her age. “The process has begun, and you’ll be summoned. He will come knocking and he will expect you to answer.”_

_“What has?” Caroline asked her as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Klaus’s blue and gold eyes gazing down at her. They were soft and hard all at once, but she knew that she was safe in them. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips as a lover would; as though he was staking claim._

_“I’ll keep you safe Caroline. I give you my word.”_

Caroline sat up in her bed and groaned. She stretched slightly, working the kinks out of her body while her mind tried to hand onto the dream that was fleeing from her mind. Before she pulled herself completely out of the bed, it had gone; only letting an eerie cold feeling behind. Caroline went to her dresser and grabbed some clothes. Her eyes glanced upward, and she had to do a double take.

For a moment, she saw Klaus behind her, but she blinked at he was gone.

She continued to stare at the spot he was at, swearing up and down she had seen him. She thought back to the jumbled memories she had in that Georgia motel room and slowly beginning to realize that it was not just a dream. The shadows were no longer the only thing haunting her and Klaus was something far more than human. Something that her aunt was willing to make a deal with.

Caroline shook herself and continued preparing herself for the day, unsure what it would hold or what she would do. Her mind and emotions were all over the place that Caroline felt that she was holding on by just a thread. She had dozens of boxes to sort through of Cami’s and Caroline found that she could no longer stand to look at those items. In the past week that she had been home since Stephen’s death, Caroline had touched none of them. The first three days she spent lying in bed, ignoring her buzzing phone and only eating because Elena would stop by after work and force feed her. By the fourth day, Caroline felt better and well enough to try and start being a functional human being.

Tyler messaged her, sending her a link to Stephen’s obituary. She didn’t respond but read the obituary at least a dozen times, crying each and every time. He sent a date for the funeral, but Caroline felt that Hayley would not react well if she showed up. Not only that she was not up for another drive out of state. She was exhausted and the memories of that night in the hotel continued to haunt her.

So many questions were rattling through her mind.

When Caroline she went down the stairs, she looked around the living room at all the boxes that littered her house. Taking a deep breath and rolling up her sleeves, Caroline made a decision. She gathered up the boxes and moved them down to her basement, saving that for a later date when she felt more mentally stable to go through them. Once they were all stored away, Caroline turned to that offending trunk that still was located at the base of the stairs.

Taking a deep sigh, Caroline grabbed the handles and began dragging it up the stairs; the trunk clunking and the items rattling inside as she went. She pushed it into her bedroom and up against the end of her bed. She unlocked the trunk looked at the items again. She pulled the picture, that was now frameless, and stared down at it before turning it over.

_Who was Sheila Bennett and what did she have to do with Cami?_

Caroline shut the trunk with a loud snap and headed back down into her kitchen. She tossed the picture and business card onto the counter. Stressed and antsy, Caroline pulled her cleaning supplies from under her sink. When she was stressed, Caroline cleaned. It allowed her to run through her thoughts and have a breakthrough.

She filled the bucket with soap and hot water before settling on her knees to scrub the kitchen floor. Stephen had said that Cami had at one point been a practicing wiccan. The trunk all but confirmed that but she lived in New Orleans. If she ran in the scene, she would most certainly would have had access in the Quarter. Why would she need to go to all the way to Virginia to get supplies?

Unless there was something specific she would have needed that New Orleans, didn’t have? And if that was the case, why had she never stopped by and saw her if she was coming to Virginia? And what did Klaus have to do with anything? Was he even human? The fact that Caroline was considering Klaus to be something more than human only made her feel as though she truly was losing her mind. If he wasn’t, that meant Caroline had sex with something non-human and that was not a rabbit hole she wanted to go down.

A knock at her front door, startled her from her cleaning. She pulled the yellow gloves off of her arms and tossed them into the bucket. She pulled herself from the floor and walked over to the door, seeing that it was Matt through the glass. A small smiled graced her lips as she pulled open the door.

“Hey Stranger.” Caroline told him as she let him pass. Matt and Caroline had an odd history. While they were not exactly friends, Matt was always the guy that any girl in town could rely on. Even after Elena broke up with him in their sophomore year, he still would come out to pick the both of them if they had too much to drink. When he started getting involved with April Young, whom he ended up marrying shortly after high school, they all were immensely happy for him. “To what do I owe this visit from the town sheriff?”

“Elena called.”

“Of course, she did.” Caroline rolled her eyes and tried to give Matt a soft smile, however, her cheeks hurt in the process of doing so. She made her way into the kitchen and pulled out the pitcher of sweet tea that Elena put in her fridge during the many visits she has made in the last few days. One thing Stephen instilled in her was that a good glass of sweet tea. She poured two glasses and sat one in front of it. “It is not like she hasn’t been here every single day for the past week or that I’m having dinner at the boarding house with her tonight.”

“She is worried.” Matt told her in a sincere voice. “We all are. All of us were shocked to hear about Stephen’s passing and you finding him…right after your aunt died, I cannot imagine what you’re going through. We want to know that you’re okay and if you need anything that at all, all you have to do it ask.” Matt took a sip of his sweet tea and made a grimace. “Elena make this?”

“Why too sweet?” Caroline asked him and nodded. While Elena was talented at many things, almost too perfect, but making sweet tea was not one of them. “And thank you. I mean that but I’m okay. I’ll miss Stephen and Cami, but I can’t dwell on it. I have to have faith that the Atlanta PD will do everything they can to find Stephen’s murderer and there isn’t much more I can do.”

Matt nodded as though he understood. Part of Caroline felt guilty for telling Matt exactly what he would want to hear. With everything she had seen, or at least think she had seen, Caroline had no faith in the detective discovering what killed Stephen. However, the last thing she was going to tell Matt was that she was seeing disembodied figures and suspected that they were involved, if not directly responsible for, her stepfather’s murder.

Caroline would find herself sitting in Dr. Maxfield’s office faster than she could blink.

“I got a call from Tyler. He told me that Hayley isn’t allowing you at the funeral?” Matt asked and Caroline shook her head. The thought of missing Stephen’s funeral felt like a stomach punch and a flash of anger rolled through her. Caroline counted to ten in the back of her mind and slowly tried to calm herself down. “That’s not right. Stephen raised you. You should be at his funeral. You’re were his daughter just as Hayley was.”

“Yeah, well, Hayley never saw it that.” Caroline muttered. She scowled and Matt could tell that she was not in the mood to discuss her stepsister. Everyone had always put Hayley on a pedestal growing up while Caroline was regarding as the black sheep and the crazy one. It wasn’t until the scandal of Hayley sleeping with Tyler that the town saw her true colors. An awkward silence fell over them. While she liked Matt, she suddenly felt as though she no longer wanted the company, however he was not about to leave unless he was certain she was okay. “How is the new baby?”

“Perfect.” A wide and devesting smile spread over his lips. It was clear to Caroline that Matt was in love with his daughter. “We named her Kelly after my mom. April and her mom are having lunch with some friends, showing her off.”

“Leaving you free to harass the town’s resident crazy person?”

“You’re not crazy Caroline.”

“Tell that to the rest of the town.” Caroline replied in an easy tone. No matter what Matt and Elena stated, Caroline still felt the eyes that followed her as she walked down the street. She knew what people thought of her. The stench of her mother’s murder followed her and the outbursts she would have as a child due to seeing the shadows did not help either. It was well known, thanks to Hayley, that Caroline had been seeing a psychiatrist from a young age. “You know what they said after dad died, ‘death follows Caroline’. With Stephen and Cami, I guess they are right.”

“Hey. Not all of us think that. Okay?” Matt reassured her. Caroline wanted to believe him but outside of Elena and Matt…and maybe the Salvatores, Caroline was not convinced but she did not correct him. Matt’s eyes flickered to the photo on the counter and reached over to take a look at it. “What’s this?”

“It’s a photo I found at my aunt’s house. It’s of her, my mom and two of their friends.” Caroline replied pointing to Cami in the center. “That’s my aunt Cami as a teenager and that,” She pointed to Liz “is my mom.”

“You look a lot like her.” Matt replied, gazing at the photo as though he had never really considered Caroline’s mother outside the fact that she was dead. He looked between Caroline and the photo, clearly studying the resemblance. He flipped the photo over and read the name and address on the back. “Whose Sheila Bennet? And what’s a tarot shop?”

“No idea.” Caroline replied honestly but then an idea struck her. “My aunt had collected some strange items, antiques and stuff. I think Sheila might be one of the girls in the photo. I was thinking about reaching out to her and letting her know that Cami had died. Maybe she would be interested in some of my aunts’ stuff for her shop. If her shop handles that kind of stuff, I mean. I have no use for them, and they would just collect dust in my basement.”

“When April’s grandmother died, we had that issue too. We still have stuff stored away.” Matt eyed her curiously, as though he knew where she was going with this. “What is it?”

“Do you think maybe you could look into Sheila for me?” Caroline paused, her mind thinking over a few reasons why she would need Matt to look into her without confessing the insane truth to him. “I mean, I know it’s nothing but just with Cami and Stephen dying so close together, it would just make me feel better if I’m going to be selling some of my aunt’s stuff to a complete stranger.”

“Sure. I can do that.” Matt told her and Caroline tried to give him a bright smile, but she found that the muscles in her cheeks were starting to hurt. She supposed it was from the lack of use on their part. She reached for her glass of tea and took a drink in order to keep from smiling. “I’ll run by the station tomorrow and let you know if there is anything to find. Honestly, if she is an old friend of your aunt’s, you should be fine.”

“I know. I know. Call me paranoid but thank you.” Matt nodded acknowledging her thanks. Caroline’s phone buzzed beside her. She reached over, expecting to see Elena’s daily check-in text message on her lunch break but instead saw a name that made her scowl. “Seriously? Can’t you take a hint?”

_[Stefan: 11:32 am] Can we talk?_

_[Caroline: 11:33 am] No._

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Stefan just doesn’t seem to understand the concept of a break-up.” Caroline replied in annoyance. She watched as Stefan’s number appeared to be typing a response. It disappeared for a moment and then reappeared as though he was contemplating what he wanted to say next. “You would think months of telling him to leave me alone would be enough for him to get the hint but apparently not.”

“Do you want me to tell him to leave you alone?” Matt asked, switching from concerned friend to cop. Despite it being a small town, Mystic Falls had its fair share of domestic disputes that turned ugly. Matt took those seriously, having to intervened more than once and had the town’s known abusers in his jail cells more often than they weren’t. “He hasn’t threatened you or anything? Has he?”

“No. Nothing like that. Just being clingy and not willing to let go.” Caroline told him but Matt did not appear to be convinced. She knew that Matt’s concern was coming from a good place and she apricated it, but getting Matt involved would only make things worse between her and Stefan. “It’s okay Matt. I can handle this. I promise.”

“Okay.” Matt finished his tea before handing her the glass. “But if that changes and he starts harassing you or he starts to scare you, you tell me, and I’ll take care of it. I don’t want to see you hurt, okay?”

“Okay.” Caroline agreed and Matt gave her a brief hug. She walked Matt out and gave him a polite nod before watching him head towards his cruiser. Caroline could not help but think that his daughter was lucky to have Matt as a father, for he would do anything to protect her and the thought gave Caroline a sense of peace that she had not felt since she had been fired from her job almost two weeks earlier.

That peace was dashed the moment her phone buzzed again with Stefan’s reply.

_[Stefan: 11:45 am] I’m on my way over. We need to talk._

Caroline groaned in frustration. She was not in the mood to see or speak to Stefan. She looked at the photo on the counter as she walked back into the kitchen and made a quick decision. She was going to wait until Matt looked into Sheila’s background but her desire to avoid Stefan at all costs won over having patience, which was something Caroline did not have much of in the first place.

“Stop by all you want Stefan; does not mean I’ll be here.” Caroline muttered to herself and grabbed her keys along with the photo. She slipped on a pair of tennis shoes she kept by her back door and locked up quickly before heading out to her car. She was hoping to be across town by the time Stefan pulled into her driveway.

Once she passed the ‘Welcome Sign’ at the boarder of the town, Caroline pulled up the GPS on her phone and typed in the address on the back of the photo. It was a good forty-five-minute drive and she groaned. This was not what she had planned for the day but the part of her brain that still wanted to be a journalist told her to push onward. The other part of her was cursing getting out of bed at all.

Deciding that she was already out of Mystic Falls, Caroline drove back onto the road and headed west. Caroline muted her phone and slid it into her pocket, knowing that Stefan would start calling her obsessively when he realized that she was not at the house. She almost smirked at the thought; seeing his irritated face when he realized Caroline left in order to avoid him.

Part of her was peeved that he drove her out of her own home, but it pushed her to track down whomever this Sheila person was. When Caroline kicked Stefan out of her house three and a half months previously, she vowed that he would never dictate her life again. She vowed that she would never feel suffocated and uninterested in her own relationships again.

Caroline wanted more out of life than what she had been given. She was tired of everyone she cared about dying. She was tired of the shadows and her entire life being dictated by seeing something that no one else could. She was tired to everyone looking at her sideways compared to the normalcy the rest of the world seemed to experience. She wanted to be free of the past that seemed to haunt her.

She no longer wanted to be stuck in relationships where she was taken for granted. She wanted passion, adventure and control. Unfortunately, she felt as though her life up to this point lacked all those desires.

“Well, not my entire life. Sex with Klaus was fantastic.” Flashes of the night she spent with Klaus flowed through her mind. Caroline felt her body flush at the wicked things she let him do to her. Her confusion about his involvement with Cami aside, she could not deny that he was the best sex she ever had.

“You were magnificent as well, Sweetheart.” Klaus’s voice chimed from behind her and Caroline’s eyes shot up to the rearview mirror. Klaus was sitting in her back seat. Out of shock, Caroline swerved her car and hit the brakes, the tires screeching against the pavement of the road. When the car was at a full stop, the car that was behind her blaring its horn as it sped past her. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to look behind her, only to find that Klaus had vanished.

Caroline could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest and her breathing felt sharp in her lungs. She leaned back in her sea and ran her fingers through her blonde curls. Her mind was running wild with possibilities and questions. She knew what Dr. Maxfield would tell her, that her mind was projecting on the one good thing that happened to her in the midst of all the chaos.

But Caroline knew better.

Her memory from the night in Georgia was foggy, two separate recollections of the same incident haunted her. One, at first, she wrote off as a nightmare but now she was beginning to second guess that. The conversation she had with Klaus in that bathroom really happened and Caroline was not going completely mad. Given the fact that she spent the majority of her life feeling as though she was going insane, due to always seeing the shadows out of the corner of her eye as a small child and never being able to sleep fully without haunting dreams, accepting that her hallucinations of Klaus were real felt like a giant relief off of her shoulders.

Caroline closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her forehead, trying to massage the headache that was forming behind her eye lids. She rested her head back against the seat and thought on Klaus. The fact that Cami mentions him in her letter only confirms that Caroline wasn’t delusional but posed so many questions that she had no way to answer.

The first, and most important at the moment to Caroline, was who murdered Stephen? And why? And her father? Was it not cancer that took him and if not, why was Cami suspicious of it? What did the shadows have to do with their deaths? What were they and what did any of this have to do with a deal Cami made with Klaus?

What was Klaus? Because if she was to believe the nightmare, she had was in fact reality, then there was no way he was human.

“Something very dangerous.” Klaus’s voice purred in her ear. She could feel his breath against her skin. She didn’t open her eyes, even when she felt the tips of his fingers trace the top of her collarbone. “I’m something far more dangerous than what you could imagine, but I’ll never harm you Caroline. I don’t go back on my deals. That, and I’ve seemed to have grown fond of you. I’ve watched you for a long time, Love, and its why I decided to mark you.” Klaus chuckled and Caroline felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter. “Trust me when I tell you I’ve been thinking about that night constantly.”

“What are you?”

“You’re more than just a pretty face, Sweetheart, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Klaus replied and the tone of voice told Caroline that he enjoyed toying with her. It wasn’t the same way Damon would toy with her when they dated in high school, but more over a cat and mouse game that had the hints of a pleasurable end. “Just know that I will keep you safe.”

“From what? What is haunting me?” Caroline asked but nothing came. The presence she had felt beside her vanished and Caroline opened her eyes, looking around the car only to find it empty. She listened deeply but all she could hear was the soft hum of the radio and the rushing of cars passing her as she sat idle on the side of the road. “Damn it! Come back! Talk to me! Tell me what the hell is going on!”

Caroline’s outburst was met with silence. She shook her head but for a moment, it almost felt like the air around her was amused. She sat back and while she could not see Klaus, she had a feeling that he was still with her. Caroline was not sure if that made her delighted or terrified. Maybe it was both.

“You’re a bastard! You know that.” Caroline could have sworn she heard a dark chuckle linger in the air. She turned to but the seatbelt back on and as she heard it click in place, she felt her phone buzz in the pocket of her jeans. She lifted her hips slightly in order for her hand to slid inside the pocket and retrieve her phone. Pulling it out, Caroline looked down at the screen and scowled.

_[Stefan: 12:13 pm]: Real mature Caroline. We need to talk._

Caroline toyed with responding and decided against it. Stefan was the last thing she wanted to deal with when her mind felt so jumbled and puzzled. Talking with Stefan would only make things more confusing. Besides, she was already out of the house and on her way towards Richmond. She reached for the keys that were still jingling in the ignition and turned the car back on.

“Fucking men.” Caroline muttered and that lingering laughter in the air grazed her senses again. She could not help but a small smirk play on her lips. She could not explain what just happened, but she knew that Klaus had been in the car with her; just as she knew that he was not going to harm her. He promised to protect her, and Cami’s letter confirmed that theory, and she trusted her gut when it told her that Klaus was going to keep her safe. That did not mean she was going to sit back and let whatever it was haunting her control her life any more than it already had. Klaus told her that she was more than a pretty face and that she would figure out exactly what he was and she planned on doing exactly that.

She pulled off the side of the road and headed northeast, following the directions on her GPS. Her phone continued to buzz with Stefan’s constant text messages and if she did not need the GPS on for find this store, she would have turned off the phone. Part of her was half tempted to call Damon, of all people, and have him tell his brother to leave her alone. She almost wished she took Matt up on his offer to intervene and have him tell Stefan to back off.

Caroline reached Richmond in the early hours of the afternoon. She drove King street in and located the shop on the left-hand side. She drove in a loop for a few minutes, searching for a place to park. It was four blocks down the road that Caroline finally was able to park on the side of the street and pay the meter. She was unsure how long she would be there but put enough coins in the meter for an hour. She walked down the sidewalk and took in the sights of Richmond. It was not that Caroline had never been to the neighboring town, it was just that, while bigger, it had the same amenities as Mystic Falls.

“Although, now thinking on it. Mystic Falls doesn’t have a magic shop.” Caroline muttered to herself as she stood in front of the small shop that was crammed between a coffee shop and a small café. Two big windows looked into the shop floor while the trim on the outside was white. The window on the left, Caroline could see an array of herbs and plants stashed near the front, she assumed so they would get the light from the sun that they would need to survive. The sign that hung over the door read Bennett’s Herb and Tarot Shop so, Caroline knew she was in the right place.

As she looked at the sign, there was something strange about it. She noticed how the letters on the wood seemed to grow darker; much like the words etched onto her mother’s tomb back in the cemetery. Her heartbeat begins to pick up and she has flashes of Stephen’s dead body lying on the blood-stained floor. She does not understand why the shadows would be there no how they were connected to Cami. They must have been if it involved in her death if Cami was seeking protection from Klaus.

Klaus.

As though he was summoned, Caroline felt a hand on the small of her back and suddenly, the shadows all but disappeared; scurrying away in fear. The smell of sulfur hit her hard and it almost made her stumble backwards. She realized that smell seemed to follow her wherever she went. The question was did it stem from the shadows or Klaus?

She spun around, expecting to see Klaus standing behind her but all she saw was the cars that passed by and the people who were walking down the street. The sight was completely ordinary, and it made her wonder if she had had imagined him being there or in the car with her earlier. It made her feel like all those times Dr. Maxfield questioned her mental health and blamed her lack of sleep on her overactive imagination.

But she was so sure that the shadows were real. She was certain that something caused them to come back and haunt her. All those times as a child that she would play with them and how they would hoover over her in the middle of the night. Even Hayley could see them as a child and Caroline wondered if perhaps all children could see them and then over time, it outgrew them.

The theory Caroline thought in her mind did not answer why they were coming back to her now. Why in the past few weeks were they haunting her again? What trigged their release? What changed now that made them come back? There had to be a reason, but Caroline could not think of anything significant that would trigger them returning to her. Perhaps the death of her father? But that was five years ago. Why not then? She saw the shadows before Cami and Stephen’s deaths.

Caroline shook her head, stopping any more questions from protruding her into her mind. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and faced the shop again. It was exactly the same as it had been moments before. The white paneling looked the same and the sign above the door read the same words as before. The only difference was that the letters no longer held that darkness that sent a cold chill through her body.

“Come on Caroline. You always wanted to be a journalist, to find that story. Well, solve the story of your own life first.” With one last deep breath and pulled the strap of her purse tighter around her shoulder, Caroline slowly went to enter the shop. She listened as the bell over the shop door chimed lightly, letting whomever was running the shop know they have a customer.

Caroline’s eyes looked around the shop, inspecting it. The walls were a light green and had dark hardwood floors. The shelves that were pressed against the wall were made of the same deep wood as the flooring. On her left she could see an array of fresh plants that she assumed were herbs. The shop had a very earthy smell to it and Caroline assumed it was due to the many fresh plants that lingered around the shop. Beside the plants was a shelf that appeared to be glass bottles filled with something that she could not make out.

On the other wall was a large bookshelf with a dozen or so books that Caroline was going to assume she did not understand. If they were like the books she found in Cami’s trunk, she assumed that they either would not be in English or involve some mysteries that Caroline did not want to unravel.

There was a table in the center of the room that held a series of jewelry that had charms on both necklaces and on the bracelets. There were crystals and other items surrounding the display. She saw a deck of cards that did not look like the cards Caroline had played with as a child. The words tarot was written in fancy lettering on the box. A Ouija board was decoratively placed upon the white lace tablecloth as well and she got a chill that was sent down her spine.

Caroline turned her gaze towards the back of the shop and at the checkout counter. The counter was wood, much like the flooring and the shelves, but a sheet of glass was covering the front. Inside were what appeared to be a mixture of daggers, bigger crystals and more books that appear to be far more delicate than the ones on the shelves. At the counter was a woman around Caroline’s age with dark colored skin, brown hair and smile that made her appear amused at something.

“Can I help you?” The woman asked and walked around the counter. Caroline could tell that she was about a head shorter than herself but had an aura of confidence that Caroline already envied. Her hair had soft curls that rested just above her shoulders. She had dark but expressive eyes as she took in Caroline’s appearance. The woman wore a grey tank top with white flowers printed on it paired with a dark pair of jeans and ballet flats. However, it was the necklace that she wore around her neck. It was simple silver chain with a charm on it. While it was not identical to the one Caroline found it in Cami’s trunk, it was similar.

“Yeah. Hi. I’m Caroline.” Caroline gave a small wave. “And, my aunt Cami passed away recently. She was a practicing wiccan and when I was going through her house, I found several occult items that I don’t know what to do with. She had the name of this shop written down and I figured maybe she bought them here.”

“You want to sell some items back?”

“Yes. If that’s possible. Or maybe you can explain what they are.” Caroline gave her a timid smile. “I’m not a wiccan or anything so I am kind of out of my depth. I don’t want to sell anything back that would bring bad luck or something.”

“I can help and I’m sorry to hear about your loss.” The smile on her lips was genuine and put Caroline at ease. There seemed nothing hostile about her or threatening. Caroline felt as though she could be helpful in her quest in what was happening to her. “What kind of items did your aunt have? Do you have them on you?”

“No. I don’t.” Caroline replied, silently curing herself for not grabbing a few things. In her hurry to avoid Stefan and not having a concert plan on what she was going to do when she got to the shop, Caroline did not even thing about grabbing anything from the trunk. “I didn’t want to lug anything down here in case you didn’t purchase items from random women off the street.”

“No, that’s fine.” She gave a light chuckle and motioned towards the counter, her brown curls bouncing slightly as she did. “Let me see if I have your aunt’s information in our sale log. If we do maybe I can see what she bought.”

“Perfect!” Caroline followed the shop owner towards the counter, her eyes looking around the shop. She froze slightly at one of the paintings that hung on the wall. It was a woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes and a serene expression on her face. Something about the painting that struck Caroline as familiar as though she had seen it before. As she moved across the shop, Caroline felt as though the eyes on the painting moved, following her every move. Apprehension filled Caroline and the pit of her stomach churned. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Oh. Right. How rude of me. Bonnie. Bonnie Bennet.” Caroline turned from the painting to gaze at Bonnie, who had pulled a think leather bound book from under the counter and laid it on the counter. She did not open the book but was gazing at Caroline as though she was curious about her. “Do you like the painting?”

“Yeah. She is beautiful.” Caroline turned to look back at it, but it lacked the liveliness it had moments before. Where the woman in the painting seemed as though she was moving and alive moments before, now she had gone still; as though the presences had left it. “It looks familiar, like I’ve seen if before or something.”

“They are really common.” Bonnie replied, walking around the counter to stand beside Caroline. “If your aunt was a practicing wiccan, depending on what sec, there is a good chance she had one. No one knows who painted them, just that they appeared a few hundred years back and they just reappear in random places. My mom came across this one in the attic of this place when she opened the shop.”

“Your mom?”

“Yeah. She used to run this shop before she died. I inherited and took it over after she passed.” Bonnie told her and by the tone of her voice, Caroline could tell it had been a few years since her mother’s death. She gave her condolences and Bonnie just smiled that serene smile that one had when they mourned their loved one. “It’s okay, she was sick for a long time. Cancer.”

“I’m sorry. My dad died of cancer, so I completely understand. I know how hard that is.” Caroline thought back on her father and Cami’s letter, remembering that it might not have been cancer at all. Bonnie nodded and they turned to look back at the painting. It was still motionless, as though it did not want Bonnie to gaze upon its movements. “Was your mom named Sheila?”

Bonnie froze then. The content smile slipped from her lips and her dark eyes narrowed. Bonnie crossed her arms as though she was holding herself together. The air in the room went cold and still. Caroline regretted mentioning the name, but it was the purpose as to why she came to the shop, to discover who Sheila was and why Cami would have her name written on the back of the photo.

“No.” Bonnie’s voice was clipped. “Sheila was my grams. How did you know her? Who are you?”

“I don’t know her.” Caroline spoke quickly, realizing that harmless aurora that surrounded Bonnie had shifted to something darker; as though she was on guard. “Like I said, I was cleaning out my aunt’s things and I came across the address for this shop and Sheila’s name was under it.” Bonnie was glaring at her and for a moment, Caroline thought she might be thrown from the shop. She reached into her bag and pulled out the photo. “Here. See. My aunt had her name written down and when you said that your last name was Bennett, I just assumed.”

Bonnie took the photo from Caroline and looked over the name. Her face became expressionless and slowly, she flipped the photo over. She gazed at it and if it was possible, she went even more still. Her eyes were trained on the photo and Caroline held her breath, wondering what it was about that photo that effected Bonnie so much.

“That’s my mom. Abby Bennett.” Bonnie whispered. She touched the photo lightly and then turned it over to show Caroline, her finger onto of the woman that Caroline had been unable to name. “Why do you have a photo of my mother?”

“Why is your mother in a photo with my mom and my aunt?” Caroline tossed back at her and it was obvious that Bonnie had more of an answer than she did. Whatever the answer was, it had Bonnie shaken. “You know what is going on, don’t you? You know what is happening to me? What is haunting me and what is going on? Please?”

“Who are you?”

“I told you. My name is Caroline. Caroline Forbes.”

“And you aunt? Your mom? Who were they?”

“My aunt was named Camille O’Connell and my mom was Elizabeth O’Connell.” Caroline told her and Bonnie’s eyes grew wide, as though she was seeing Caroline for the first time. The fear that was etched onto her face moments before was replaced by pure terror. Bonnie’s fists gripped the photo tightly, causing it to crumple by the force. “Bonnie?”

“Out.” Bonnie whispered. She all but threw the photo at Caroline, who caught it easily as it drifted towards the floor. Bonnie pointed towards her door and Caroline could see how her hands shook. For whatever reason, the name O’Connell sent fear echoing through her and Caroline could see that Bonnie was fighting the urge to flee from her. “Get out of my store and don’t come back. Take whatever dark entity you possess and get out.”

“What dark entity?” Caroline asked but Bonnie was moving, still gazing her as though she was some evil being that was there to terrorize her. It was clear that Bonnie was not going to give in or tell her anything. Caroline reached into her purse and pulled out a notepad and a pen that she kept in her purse in case she needed to write something down. Quickly, she jotted down her name and number, ripping the paper from the notebook. Slowly, she placed the paper onto the table, making no moved towards Bonnie herself. “Look, I don’t know what is going on and you clearly know more than I do. Just, please call me when you’ve calmed down and explain what is going on. Please.”

“Get out.”

Caroline nodded and put the pen, notebook and photo back into her purse. She walked backwards towards the door and left; Bonnie’s eyes never leaving hers. Once the door was shut, Bonnie quickly walked towards the door and locked it before turning the open sign to show that the store was closed. Caroline watched as she all but ran into the back room of the store and out of sight, leaving Caroline’s number on the table as she went.

Taking a deep breath, Caroline turned and headed down the street. She thought on Bonnie’s reaction to learning the names of her aunt and mother. Perhaps there was something about the O’Connell legacy. Maybe it was cursed after all. Shaking her head, Caroline picked up her pace and figured that she would be able to make it back to Mystic Falls in enough time to dress and get ready to have dinner with Elena at the boarding house. Perhaps, some wine and Damon’s good Italian cooking would make up for the disappointment of the afternoon, ignoring Damon’s presences as much as she good while enjoying his food.

It was petty but it was how their relationship worked. They accepted each other’s presence for the sake of Elena. When Caroline reached her car and pressed the button to unlock it, her eyes locked onto something across the street. Klaus stood in the middle of the sidewalk, watching her. When he realized that he had been spotted, he tossed her that smirk that had made Caroline jump into bed with him when she had met him.

Klaus pressed his fingers to his lips, kissed them and blew the kiss towards her. A slight breeze picked up them and Caroline could not help but feel a sense of comfort that came over her. His smile turned gentle then, as though he knew her nerves had calmed slightly. He slipped his hands into his pocket and turned to walk down the street.

Caroline blinked and Klaus was gone.


	8. Repudiation

Caroline was six years old when she met Stefan on the first day of kindergarten. He had no friends to play with and Caroline was already disliked by most of the children due to Hayley constantly bullying her when neither Bill nor Stephen were looking. Lillian Salvatore had recently purchased the old Boarding House on the edge of town with the money her late husband had left behind after his death and moved all of her family heirlooms into it. Lillian always seemed to terrify Caroline as a child. She had long black hair and the same piercing blue eyes as Damon. She was stern, haunting and always made Caroline feel as though she was something foul she was forced to accept into her home. Caroline was never banned from the Boarding House when she went to spend time with Stefan, but she was never made to feel comfortable.

It was three months before Caroline broke up with Damon is when Lillian had died. It was instantaneous. One moment she was standing on the sidewalk, looking out onto the square as though she was seeing something that no one else could. She looked to her left and then she stepped out onto the street. A bus hit her, and in a moment, Lillian Salvatore was dead. It was possibly the most tragic thing that had happened in Mystic Falls in a long time and the catalyst to the end of Caroline’s relationship with Damon. Their father’s younger brother Zachary had moved to town in order to allow the boys to finish high school before leaving the house to Damon on his nineteenth birthday. 

“This place still feels like Lillian stalks the hallways.” Caroline muttered as she glared at the tall imposing building. The Boarding House was massive and held a tutor vibe that did not match with the rest of the small Virginia town. It was long and almost curved as it followed the roundabout, they so poetically called a driveway. There was an archway that covered the front door and more windows on the front of the house than the entirety of Caroline’s. The front door had a darkness that always felt ominous to her. It wasn’t the darkness she associated with the shadows but just a feeling of something eerie about the old building that always made Caroline’s hair stand on end. 

Caroline stepped out of her car and slammed the door shut, trying to forget how much she hated this house and the confrontation she had with Bonnie earlier in the day. If she did not promise Elena that she would be coming to dinner, she would have stayed home and tried to get some sleep. As Caroline raised her hand to knock on the door, the Lionhead knocker glaring at her as she did, Elena opened the door as though she had been waiting for her to pull up. She had an almost panicked look on her face that made Caroline pause, her fist still raised to knock on the door. 

“Caroline! Your phone is off.” Elena said in a chipper voice that set Caroline on edge. “I tried to call you, but you were not answering.” 

“What-“ Caroline paused as she looked over Elena’s shoulder. Stefan was standing there giving her a pointed look that told Caroline that he knew she would be at the Boarding House. Elena had promised that Stefan would not be in attendance, having a shift at the hospital. The last few months had been a blessing for Caroline due to Stefan’s residency and medical school schedule. While Stefan did not live at the Boarding House, he was there often enough. “Stefan.”

“I’m so sorry.” Elena whispered as she stood aside for Caroline to enter the foyer. She crossed her arms, glaring at her ex-boyfriend and ignoring her friend’s sheepish gaze. She honestly did not know what else she could do to make her desire for him to leave her alone any clearer. She had thought all but fleeing her house and turning down his marriage proposal was hint enough.

Apparently not

“Caroline, can we talk? Please.”

“Wine! We need wine.” Elena called, staring between Caroline and Stefan. She quickly turned and walked towards the kitchen where Caroline knew she had installed a small fridge that was made solely for the purpose to store the chilled white wine that Elena loved. Caroline continued to glare at Stefan, shaking her head in annoyance and bypassing him to place her purse on the table while refusing to look at him. 

“Caroline, come on. Stop acting like a child and talk to me.” Stefan’s tone was both annoyed and condescending. Caroline gave an annoyed huff and a wave of fury swelled up inside her. Typically, she was able to tune out Stefan’s projection of superiority but something in his tone made her snap. Caroline whipped around and narrowed her eyes at Stefan.

“A child. Seriously! Did you ever think that maybe I don’t want to talk to you!” Caroline whipped around to glare at him, fury etched into her features. However, before Caroline could start yelling at him like she was three seconds from doing so, Elena appeared with two wine glasses and a bottle of chardonnay in her hand. 

“Wine! We always need wine.” Elena stated with an urgency that Caroline recognized as panic in her voice. She sat the wine glasses down on the end table and quickly poured the wine into the glasses; having pulled the cork out of the bottle in the kitchen. “Stefan, Damon needs help in the kitchen. Go help him.” Stefan made no movement and Elena was not about to let Stefan ruin the evening. “Now Stefan.” 

Stefan gave a frustrated groan and slumped away to the kitchen, looking over his shoulder at Caroline as though he wanted to say something. Once out of sight, Caroline let out an annoyed groan and Elena gave her a sheepish smile as she handed her a rather full glass of wine. Although, Elena was a bit of a lush and a full glass for her was the normal. 

“Seriously?!”

“I’m so sorry. When he showed up here for dinner, I tried to call you, but you were not answering. I was totally going to give you an out to bail because no matter how I tried to get him to leave, he wouldn’t. He is intent on talking to you. Even Damon couldn’t convince him to leave.” Elena said out in a rush and Caroline took a long drink of her wine. The last thing she wanted was to deal with Stefan on top of Bonnie throwing her out of her shop. “I wanted you to have a nice relaxing evening and to get you out of your house and mind off of everything. Do you want to leave?”

“I know. I know. I’m not mad at you.” Caroline huffed, she knew why Elena insisted on having dinner at the Boarding House and not at her home. Caroline had barely left her bed and if had not been for Elena stopping by every day after she got off work, Caroline probably would have forgotten to eat; even with the groceries her best friend ensured were in her refrigerator. After everything Elena had done for her, she did not want to ruin the kind gesture her friend was trying to do. “I’ll stay but I can’t promise I’ll be civil with him.”

“Deal.” Elena nodded, filling the only half empty glass in Caroline’s hand. “I honestly have no idea what is going through his head. Damon says that he is really broken up over you, but I just don’t see how.” Caroline shot her a look and Elena shook her head. “I didn’t mean that like it sounded. You’re fantastic but I meant that your guy’s relationship was so stale. Stefan always took you for granted and never really seemed that devoted, I have no idea where this lovesick reaction is coming from. Then there was that fight he got into with Father Saltzman at the Grill last week. I have no idea what is going on in his head.”

“Maybe he is just realizing how good he had it with me and should have been more….interesting.” Elena snorted and nodded. She picked up the bottle and motioned towards the dining room. Caroline followed easily, drinking her wine as she went. Caroline sat down in one of the most uncomfortable wooden chairs Damon and Elena owned and crossed her arms. “I just don’t understand why he can’t take no for an answer. I really don’t want to deal with him, but I guess I will have to at some point.”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, I think you will.” Elena nodded and looked down at the bottle that was already hallway empty. She topped off her own glass and placed the bottle down in front of Caroline. Caroline drained the wine from her glass and grabbed the bottle, pouring herself another one. If she was going to deal with Stefan, she wasn’t doing it sober. “I’ll be right back. We are going to need more wine than this.” 

“Alright.” Caroline leaned back into her chair and watched Elena head back towards the kitchen, knowing full well that her friend had plenty of wine to spare. She looked around the dining room, thinking about what she was going to say to her ex-boyfriend when an unsettling feeling overcame her. It was like the pit of her stomach dropped and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She sat her glass down upon the old antique table that Lillian had once yelled at her for not using a costar and looked around the room. 

_“Caroline._ ” Her name came out of a whisper from beside her. She whipped around but saw nothing. The voice was not one she recognized but she knew that it was not human. The temperature in the dining room dropped suddenly and Caroline could feel as though something was breathing down her next. “ _Play with us Caroline.”_

“I don’t want to play with you.” Caroline bit out through clenched teeth. She turned her head and looked towards the corner and she could see the shadows sliding up the wall alike a totem pole. They twisted and turned into different shapes. For a moment she thought it morphed into a face; the eyes blinking at her. “What do you want from me?”

_“You’ll play with us soon.”_ Caroline blinked and the shadows vanished, as though they had not been there at all. She sucked in a breath and looked around the room. It was still cold, but the lightings seemed a bit brighter than moments before. She had not even noticed how dim the lighting was, for the Boarding House always held a dark aura; almost as though the shadows had already been there when she arrived. 

“Just leave me alone…please. Leave me alone.”

“Caroline?” Caroline turned around and saw Elena standing there with two more wine bottles in her hand. Her dark eyes narrowed, and her expression was concerned; the lines in her brows creased and her lips were pursed. Caroline wondered how long Elena had been standing there looking at her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Caroline turned back to the wall half expecting to find the shadows reappearing before her, but Elena had never saw them or at least they never revealed themselves to her. Caroline thought about confessing what she had seen and heard but decided that the night had enough complications with Stefan’s appearance. “Just, thinking aloud what I want to say to Stefan. You know, to get him to leave me alone.”

“Right.” Elena’s shoulders relaxed and gave Caroline a warm smile. She sat the two bottles down into a bucket that would keep the bottles chilled. “Damon is in the kitchen giving him the riot act. Hopefully Stefan will listen to his brother and not pester you about getting back together. We will try and keep the topics away from the two of you or old memories or anything like that. 

“I would appreciate that. Thanks.” 

“Of course.” Elena replied and grabbed the already opened bottle of wine, topping off her glass with the remaining wine. Caroline would never say such things aloud to her friend, but Elena loved her wine. Some of Caroline’s most favorite memories are nights when the two of them would drink several bottles. “Are you sure you want to stay? I wouldn’t be offended if you went home.”

“No. I’ll be alright.” Caroline sighed as she picked up her wine again. “I can’t avoid him forever and will have to talk to him eventually.” She took a sip and Elena sat down into the chair beside her, drinking from her own glass of wine. “He texted me earlier today and wanted to come to the house and talk. Of course, like the coward I am, I bolted. However, I can’t let Stefan rule my life. I can’t just run away from my own home just to avoid him. That means he wins.” Caroline drank deeply again. “Although, it would be nice if he would stop just showing up at my house. Matt said he would talk to him if I wished.”

“Stefan isn’t going to listen to Matt. Remember in high school how Stefan would just roll his eyes every time Matt came around.” Elena reminded her. “I never understood why Stefan didn’t like Matt, he is such a sweetheart.”

“Says the girl who broke his heart.” Caroline snorted and Elena just tossed her a look but did not dispute the accusation. Elena did tear Matt’s heart out when they were in high school and then started dating Damon shortly thereafter. “And it is because Matt is pretty. Stefan was jealous that there was a boy prettier than him.” 

“Seriously?” Elena laughed, knowing that her friend was joking. In truth, Caroline could never pinpoint why Stefan disliked Matt. She had asked him during their teenaged years what the issue he had with Matt was and Stefan would always give a vague answer like he found Matt to be annoying or how he would always seem to be ruining their fun. Granted, Caroline and Stefan spent a good amount of time smuggling alcohol out of the Boarding House and into the woods, a practice Matt was not to fond of. “You know, I can almost believe that.”

“It’s the hero hair. He thinks it makes him look far prettier than he is.”

“Stop. You’re making me laugh to hard.” Elena all but cackled and Caroline wondered if she had been drinking wine long before she arrived. It took a moment but soon enough, Elena settled and tossed Caroline an amused smile. “So, if Stefan all but threw you from the house today, what did you do?”

Caroline paused, debating on what she should tell Elena. Caroline hated keeping things from her best friend, but she wanted to avoid that pitting look that would have her sitting back in the lifeless office of Dr. Maxfield. That was something Caroline wanted to avoid at all cost. While Elena knew that she had seen the shadows in her office, Caroline had not disclosed to her that she had been seeing them regularly and in the very room they were currently sitting in. 

Nor the fact that she was having phantom conversations with a man she had a one-night stand with. Elena would blame everything on the stress of Cami’s death and Stephen’s murder, but Caroline knew there would always be that lingering question in the back of Elena’s mind about Caroline’s mental health. If Dr. Maxfield learned of them, Caroline knew that she would be back on the antipsychotics that loved to prescribe her. 

“I just drove around.” Caroline shrugged as she thought on Bonnie and the fact that she was practically thrown from the magic shop. She still found it curious as to what it was about her family name that caused Bonnie to be terrified. Caroline had wanted to push her but felt as though she knew better than to force something out of her in that moment. Yet, the inner journalist refused to let that be the last time she spoke to Bonnie. “Went up to Richmond and browsed a few shops. That’s all. Nothing interesting.” 

“Lasagna!” Damon’s singsong voice sounded from the right and Caroline looked over to see Damon carrying a pan of steaming lasagna. The smell engulfed the room and Caroline was once again taken back to her childhood that the time she had spent in the Boarding House playing with Stefan and Damon. While Lillian was a terrifying woman, Damon at least inherited her ability to cook. “With a side of salad and bread.” 

Caroline turned and saw Stefan carrying bowel of salad and a basket full of fresh bread. His light green eyes were staring at her and she could see that he was itching to say something. Caroline knew Stefan like the back of her hand and when he got something to say and after he spent hours brooding over it, he wouldn’t hold back. Damon shot him a look and the younger of the two pursed his lips and remained silent. 

“Thank you, Damon. It smells heavenly.” Caroline told him, realizing that she had not eaten a single thing that day and the two glasses of wine she had were beginning to roll in her stomach. The room was growing warmer, but she could not tell if it was due to the temperature going up due to the shadows leaving or if it was the wine itself. The edges of the room were hazy, and no matter of blinking could wash away the glaze she was beginning to form over her eyesight. 

“Of course. What was I going to do, let Elena cook?” Damon tossed his wife a rueful smile and she just rolled her eyes at him. When Elena invited Caroline over for dinner, Caroline knew that Damon would be the one cook because her husband was not going about to let Elena anywhere near a stove. It was not that Elena was a bad cook, just not up to Damon’s impossible standards. 

“I’m not that bad!” Elena tossed back and the loving bickering between the married couple began as they served the food for the table. Elena tried to engage the table in what she deemed appropriate conversation while the four of them ate, avoiding anything in regard to Caroline and Stefan, and Damon chose to nit-pick at his wife in a loving way. It was filling the void in what would have been an awkward silence other wise and Caroline actually found herself being grateful for Damon and his distraction. Caroline always envied the passion that seemed to radiate between Damon and Elena. Caroline had never seen that side of Damon when they had dated but she was willing to admit that Caroline at fifteen would have mistaken Stefan for passionate at the time. 

_The moment we shared was passionate, wouldn’t you say?_

Klaus’s voice whispered in her ear and Caroline dropped her wine glass, the white wine spilling across the table. Caroline jumped back as though she had been burned and her heart began to pound. Klaus’s chuckle echoed in her ear, as though he was amused by her reaction. 

“Shit! Sorry!” Caroline reached for the napkins and began mopping up the spilled wine. Elena moved to help her, and Damon was just there chuckling on the other side of the table. It didn’t take long for them to clean up the mess, all the while Caroline’s thoughts were screaming at her and trying to process hearing Klaus’s voice in her head. There was a tickle in the back of her head and for a second, it was almost as though she could feel Klaus’s amusement at the slight predicament, she found herself in. 

“Well, no more wine for you.” Damon stated in a lighthearted manner. He picked up the wine glass and soaked napkins, with his trademark grin lingering on his lips, and walked into the kitchen. A moment later he returned with a water bottle, appearing quite amused at what he assumed was Caroline’s slightly intoxicated state. “Not even through the first course and your tipsy. Such a lightweight Blondie.”

“Bite me Damon! I don’t know what happened.” Caroline snapped at him and then brought her fingers to her forehead as though she was trying to rub away a migraine. She knew that she heard Klaus’s voice. It was so clear and lingering chuckles only confirmed it. That and the fact that the shadows seemed to be following her, first at Richmond and now at the Boarding House, Caroline knew that she was not going crazy. However, she wasn’t sure others would believe her. “Sorry! That was rude. I’m just not feeling like myself I guess.”

“Well, that much is obvious.” Stefan muttered into his glass and the amused feeling that was lingering in the back of her mind froze. Caroline turned her gaze towards Stefan and narrowed her eyes. Both Damon and Elena went still as though Stefan had said something offensive. 

“Excuse me!?”

“Stefan! I told you not tonight.” Elena hissed but Caroline held up her hand. Annoyance and frustration welled filled the pit of her stomach. She was done dealing with Stefan’s clingy behavior and clear determination to rekindle their relationship. Elena fell silent, gazing at the look of indignation on Caroline’s face. 

“No. Let him speak. What is it that you want to say to me so badly Stefan that you cannot let me have this time to grieve two members of my family that have died?” Stefan didn’t say anything but met Caroline’s glare. Gone was the man who had stood on her porch two weeks earlier, offering his condolences over the fact that she had lost her job and was replaced by someone who looked hurt. “Well? You have the floor, so use it! Tell me what you want to talk to me so badly about?” 

“The Caroline I know, and love would not have had sex with a complete stranger in New Orleans.” Stefan told her in a stony voice that almost sent chills down her spine. His eyes prickled with tears and his fingers clenched around his glass. The fact that he was feeling both betrayed and angry at the fact that Caroline had sex with someone else was obvious. Red hot fury swelled up inside her at his audacity. 

“Damon!” Elena hissed at her husband, clearly berating him for telling Stefan what he had overheard Caroline telling her; but Caroline turned them out. She did not care that Damon told Stefan, in fact when she realized Damon overheard the conversation, she should have expected him to relay the news to his brother. What angered Caroline was the fact that Stefan clearly felt as though he had the right to an opinion on her sex life. 

“Let me make one thing clear, Stefan. No, you get no say in who I have sex with.” Caroline snapped at him, crossing her arms and narrowing her blue eyes. Her voice was hard and controlled, a swift parallel to the rage she felt lingering in her veins. “Did I have sex with someone else? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes. It was actually probably the best sex I’ve ever had.”

“Caroline-“

“I’m not done Stefan.” She held up her hand, silencing him. When Stefan wanted to hear the sound of his own voice, he could go on for hours, but Caroline was not in the frame of mind to listen to him. “I had a one-night stand in New Orleans because I need something for myself. I needed to relieve stress. I met a guy while eating dinner at a bar and I went home with him. I have no regrets and you get have no opinion on the matter.”

“I love you Caroline. I want us to get back to where we were a year ago.” Stefan said in a calm voice. She wanted to interject and tell him that there was no hope for that. She wanted to tell him that their relationship was over and that she was trying to move on, but she knew he wouldn’t listen. “Hearing that you had sex with another man, it ripped my heart out. I feel as though you cheated on me.”

_“Cheated on you!”_ The red-hot coil inside her and she no longer cared if she was screaming to the point that she could feel it in the back of her throat. “We are not in a relationship Stefan! I broke up with you. We are over. I am free to have sex with whomever I want. You are free to have sex with whomever you want. There is no cheating to be had if we are not in a relationship!” 

“I want you back!” 

“Well I don’t want you.” All but screamed to the room. Her heart was pounding, and she could heart the blood rushing in her ears. Stefan tossed her a look as though she had slapped him across the face. If Caroline stood in that dining room for a moment longer, she might do just that. Just seeing Stefan’s face in that moment made the pulsing rage Caroline felt only more pronounced. “You know what, I just can’t do this. I’m sorry Elena but I’m leaving.” 

“Caroline-“ Elena moved to stop her but Caroline was already walking around the table. Her entire body was screaming at her to reach out and strike as Stefan; to wrap her hands around his neck and press against that pulse point that would drain the life out of him. It was an urge she never felt before and if she hadn’t been so angry, it would have worried her. 

“Caroline, please. Just hear me out?” Stefan pleaded with her, pushing himself from his chair and grabbing her arm, spinning her to look at him. His grip on her arm was tight and almost bruising. Caroline attempted to pull her arm away from him, but Stefan was not about to let her go. “Look I’m upset about the one-night stand but-“

“Stefan, let go of me!” 

“I think we can work this out.” Stefan tried to pull Caroline closer but the anger she was feeling swelled up inside her until it snapped. She placed her free hand that Stefan was not gripping against his chest and pushed against him with almost inhuman strength. Stefan flew back against the dining room table, his plate of food and toppled to the floor. Contents of the plate he it smeared all down his hospital scrubs and a glass of wine spilled on his as well. Caroline heard a hard thud as Stefan fell against the floor, knowing that there was going to be a bruise in the morning. Stefan stood quickly and made a move to advance on Caroline as though to retaliate, but Damon shot up quickly and stepped between the two of them. Damon held out his hands to both of them and looked between the two of them. 

“Stefan. Stop.” Damon hissed at his brother as Stefan tried to move around him. Caroline crossed her arms, both irritation and shock coursing through her. She had not meant to shove Stefan that hard. She just wanted him to let her go and wanted away from him. Stefan had never laid a hand on her previously and for a moment, she thought he might. Caroline felt a soothing clam run through her, as though something was trying to provide comfort. A thousand different questions were echoing through her mind and none were providing answers.

“I just want to talk. That’s all.” 

“She doesn’t want to talk to you Stefan and grabbing her isn’t going to make her listen to you.” Damon hissed. “We’ve been over this. You need to drop it. If she doesn’t want to talk to you, you can’t force her.” Stefan crossed his arms and there were tears pooling in his eyes. For a moment, Caroline felt the sympathy for Stefan. She was reminded of the friendship they once shared. The late nights on the sofa talking about their lives and where they would end up. She missed that. She missed the connection they had before they ruined it by trying to be something more. “Go upstairs and change. You’re staying here tonight.” 

“Caroline. Please.” Stefan pleased one last time, but Caroline shook her head. She did not want to discuss this with him anymore. She made herself clear. Stefan gave out a dejected sigh and walked past them, Damon making sure to stay between the two of them. Caroline did not think that Stefan would hurt her, but she appreciated Damon being cautious. The three of them watched as Stefan walked up the stairway and Elena bent down to pick up the dish that had landed on the ground.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to push him that hard. I just wanted him to let go of me.” Caroline told them, still not understand where the strength came from or the rage that was slowly leaving her. Suddenly, she just felt exhausted. She walked into the living room and picked up her purse and her keys. “I think I’m going to go home. I should have left when I realized that he was going to be here.” 

“Oh no you don’t.” Damon walked over to her and took the keys out of her hands, dangling them from his fingers. “You’ve been drinking and there is no way I’m letting you behind the wheel Blondie.” 

“I’ll take her home.” 

“Elena, I love you, but you’ve had more to drink than she has so, no.” Damon told his wife and Caroline groaned. The last thing she wanted was to spend the night at the Boarding House, especially if Stefan was going to be staying there as well and not at his apartment. “Look, I’m as sober as they come. I’ll drive you home and make sure you get your car tomorrow. Okay?” Caroline thought on the offer. She really did not want to be alone in a car with Damon but if the alternative was sleeping in the same house as Stefan, she would take the lesser of two evils. Caroline nodded and Damon sighed in relief, clearly expecting her to argue a bit more. “Good. Grab your things. I’ll be down in a second.”

Damon turned and kissed Elena lightly before heading towards the staircase. Elena, who was still cleaning up the mess that was left on the floor, stood and walked over to Caroline. She reached out for her friend and pulled her into a tight hug. Caroline rested her head against Elena’s shoulder and took a deep breath. She could feel the anger slipping out of her and her body just felt exhausted. 

“I’m sorry. I could kill Damon. He should have never told Stefan that you were coming tonight or about what happened New Orleans.” Elena muttered and Caroline wanted to be mad at Damon, and she was, but her overwhelming frustration and disappointment laid with Stefan. She never once thought that he was the type of person to not take no for an answer. Stefan always seemed to lean on Caroline when he needed a friend and vice versa but now she was beginning to see that Caroline was more of a crutch for Stefan than anything else. 

“I’ll help bury the body.” Caroline told her and Elena snorted, but refrained from replying as they could hear Damon running down the steps. The man in question entered the room with one of his black jean jackets thrown over his shoulder, making him appear to be the bad boy Caroline once convinced he was. 

“Ready Blondie?”

“I’ll text you later. Okay?” Caroline told Elena and the latter woman nodded. Elena moved back towards the table in order to clean up the half-eaten meal. Part of Caroline felt guilty for the evening not going the way Elena had hoped. She knew that her friend only wanted to ensure that she got out of the house and did not let the depression from her losses take over her life.

“Maybe you and I can grab dinner tomorrow night or something? Maybe grab something at the Grill?”

“Yeah.” Elena said with a small smile and Caroline could see that the idea of having dinner just the two of them to make up for the one that was ruined made Elena feel less disappointed. “I would like that.” 

Caroline gave a little wave and followed Damon out of the house and towards the old blue Camaro that he was obsessed with. He had bought the car in his late teens around the time Caroline and he started dating. It was in the back of that car Caroline lost her virginity and it held a special place of distain in her heart. 

“Come now, you didn’t always hate this car.” Damon told her, seeing the scowl that was etched on her lips at the sight of it. Damon slid into the front seat while Caroline climbed in after him, memories of their failed attempt at a relationship were coming back to her. In that moment, Caroline wished that she had never met either of the Salvatore brothers. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Caroline hissed at him as Damon pulled out of the driveway. While it was dark out, she did not miss the not so subtle way he rolled his eyes at her. “Seriously? Why would you tell Stefan I had a one-night stand when it is none of your business?”

“Elena would have told me, you know. As her husband, whatever you share with her, I hear about it.” 

“I don’t care. It is the fact that you told Stefan!” That angry feeling was slowly creeping back and wanted to reach across the center counsel and strangle him. However, she knew that would only lead to Damon wrecking the car and the last thing she wanted was to die in that Camaro. “What on earth possessed you to think that telling him that would be a good idea?”

“I didn’t realize that he would take it as badly as he did.” Damon muttered and fell silent for a moment. Caroline stewed in her seat, trying to calm the rage that was bubbling inside her again. It wasn’t until Damon turned down her street that he spoke again. “Look, Stefan really loves you. I don’t think he realized how much until you ended things.”

“Well I don’t feel that way about him.”

“I know that.” Damon told her. “And I tried to explain that to him. I told him that he needs to move on. Rebound. Get laid. Something but he is so focused on trying to win you back, even when I told him that it was a lost cause. He is going really going through a hard time with the breakup.” Damon took a deep breath as he pulled into her driveway. He turned the car off and turned to look at Caroline. “I thought that if I told him that you were trying to move on and had sex with someone else that maybe it would make him realize that. Although, I think it have done the exact opposite.”

“Fantastic.” Caroline snapped and narrowed her eyes at Damon. While Damon was an asshole in Caroline’s book, she knew that he loved his brother. It would be no surprise that he would try and get Stefan to move on but it infuriated her that he essentially was spreading tales of her that were none of his business; the pair of them were worse than old ladies when it came to town gossip. “Look, I have so much shit going on right now, I don’t need to add Stefan to that list. Okay? So, do me a favor and tell him to back off.”

“Noted.” Caroline picked up her purse and climbed out of the car. “Blondie?” Caroline groaned and turned to look at Damon, whose infamous smirk was back in place. “So, this guy you slept with, tell me, was he better than me?” 

“You’re such a pig.” Caroline slammed the car door shut and walked briskly towards her front door, Damon’s laughter following her as she went. She had thought for a moment she had gotten through that thick skull of his and yet she was proven right in her opinion of Damon Salvatore. It still baffled her that Elena married Damon. 

Caroline entered her dark and freezing house, flipping on the lights and tossed her purse on the side table. She kicked off her shoes, pressing her feet against the freezing cold wood floor and walked through the hallway, rubbing her arms as she went. She passed the small wooden end table that she had resting up against the wall and the mirror that hung over it; out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw something move within the mirror.

She paused and hairs on the back of her next stood up. Her eyes darted around, expecting to see the shadows lingering in a corner or on the wall beside her, but she did not see them. The darkness that hung in the corners appeared normal and there was no trance of something more sinister in them. Slowly, Caroline turned around and moved to face the mirror. Sucking in a breath, she faced her reflection as well as the man who stood behind her in it.

“Are you alright, Sweetheart?” Klaus was leaning against the bannister of her stairway that lead to the upstairs hallway. Caroline knew that if she turned around, Klaus would not be there, and she would find herself alone. Suddenly, Caroline felt as though the last thing in the world she wanted was to be alone. 

“You were there tonight. I heard you. I _felt_ you.” Caroline told him and Klaus gave her a sheepish smile. He fluttered his eyes at her as though he was ashamed of his actions; or at least because Caroline knew that he was the reason she broke that glass. “Why? Why you there? How were you there?”

“Perhaps I was jealous.” Klaus teased and pushed off the bannister and walked towards her until they were face to face in the mirror. He rested his hands on the end table, his face inches from hers. “You were having dinner with two men with whom you’ve been involved with romantically. Maybe I was feeling insecure.” 

“Why do I doubt that?” Caroline almost laughed and she reached out to touch his face. Her fingers made contact with the mirror, feeling the coolness of the glass. Almost as though he could feel her Klaus moved his head to lean into her touch. “You do not even know me. I’m nothing more than a girl you had sex with once.” Klaus smirked at her then and cocked in eyebrow in question. “Okay multiple times in one night.” Klaus gave her that unearthly laugh that reached her bones. “And yet, you chose to haunt me.”

“You’re wrong.” Klaus breathed, his blue eyes met hers and there was a flash of gold behind them. “I know you quite well. I know you better than you realize because I’ve had years to prepare for this Caroline. I knew what I was doing when I made that deal with your aunt. I’ll keep you safe.” 

“From what? What do I need protecting from?” Caroline asked and shook her head. “But you’re not going to answer me. Are you? You say you know me, but I know nothing of you. What are you and what does all of this have to do with me?” Caroline gave a bitter laugh as Klaus remained silent. “You say I’ll figure it out and I will but answer me this. That night, you gave me an option to walk away. Why?” 

“I marked you Caroline. I claimed you as mine.” Klaus tilted his head. “It is not something done lightly. In fact, I’ve never done it to another. I’ve only ever heard stories from my brother Finn. You see, he fell in love a very long time ago and wanted to ensure that he laid claim to that mortal soul so that anyone else who came for her couldn’t touch her. It’s not a perfect solution and temporary but it will work for now.”

“That’s what you did? Took my soul?”

“No. Your soul is very much yours. I wouldn’t take that from you even if you offered it.” Klaus replied and Caroline believed him. The night that they shared passed before her eyes and she could not help but blush. The redness that her skin produced only made Klaus smirk in that devilish way that made Caroline want to smack him and kiss him all at once. “I care about you too much to make such a deal with you.” 

“I don’t even know you. How can you say you care about me when I’ve only had cryptic conversations with you? One night of sex does not make a foundation for anything, especially when everything I touch turns to ash.” Caroline gave a humorless sob, emotions from both Cami and Stephen’s death surface mixed with the stress of the night threatened to erupt. “Maybe you’re not real at all and I really am losing my mind. 

“I’m as real as you are, Love.” Klaus soothed her and Caroline felt a wave of comfort flow through her. “Just know that I’m with you for a while. You’ll feel me just as I’ll feel you. We are connected, you and I. I won’t hide the fact that I slept with you in order to imprint myself upon you but know that it meant so much more than that and not something I chose to do lightly.” Caroline stared at him, not fully understanding what he was saying. “Get some rest Caroline. You’ll need it.” 

“For what!?” Caroline asked again but Klaus stepped out of the frame and was gone from the mirror. She let out a frustrated screech and was tempted to smash the mirror with her bare fists. She hated this taunting he was doing with her. Appearing out of nowhere, whispering in her ear but tell her nothing at all. “You’re such an asshole!”

Caroline turned on her heels and all but ran up the stairs. There was something about Klaus that infuriated her, all the while drawing her in. Caroline did not know whether she should be thankful that he was at least keeping the shadows at bay best he could or infuriated at the fact that he had sex with her in order to lay some claim on her. All the questions and things she did not understand were starting to pile up and she hated it.

After a quick shower and long agonizing theorizing later, Caroline decided to do something she rarely did. She pulled out the sleeping pills Dr. Maxfield had given her from her medicine cabinet and popped two into her mouth. Bringing her hand to hold a palm full of water from her bathroom sink, she drank the water and swallowed the pills, knowing it would not be long before sleep took her. She hated those pills, but it was better than tossing and turning all night long. 

And much better than watching the shadows dance on her walls if they decided to haunt her that night. 

She turned off the lights and curled up into bed, waiting for the pills to take effect. It wasn’t long before her eyes felt heavy and the room grew hazy. The room grew colder for a moment and the slight smell of sulfur appeared. Out of the corner of her drooping eyes she saw a tall figure sit down at the end of her bed.

“Sleep, Sweetheart.” Klaus whispered to her and she couldn’t help but feel comforted by his presence, which also sent a flash of annoyance through her. Klaus chuckled at that. “I can feel your frustration, but I promise that everything will be clear in time. I just need you to wait a little bit longer.” Caroline felt the bed shift and Klaus press his lips to her forehead. “I want to tell you all but right now I can’t risk him knowing I’m involved. Not yet.” 

_Caroline laid in her bed staring up at the ceiling, the stars her mother taped to the ceiling looked like the night sky. It was dark but she could see the light from the streetlamp shining through her childhood window. There was nothing out of the ordinary in that room and Caroline could not help but feel safe. Listening for movement in the hallway, Caroline slowly climbed out of her bed and walked to the toy box._

_“What are you doing out of bed?” Caroline whipped around to see her mother standing in the doorway, a stern but amused look on her face. “We had bath time and story time. What else could you possibly want?”_

_“Freya.” Caroline told her mother simply. She turned and opened the toy box and grabbed a doll quickly before turning back to the bed. She climbed under the covers and Liz made her way to her daughter’s side. She tucked Caroline in, kissed her forehead and gave her a stern look._

_“No more climbing out of bed. Its bedtime.”_

_“One more story?”_

_“Caroline…”_

_“Please!” She whined and stuck her lip out. She could tell that her mother was in a good mood because if she wasn’t, Liz would have already shut the light off and told Caroline to go to stay in bed. “Tell me the one about the seven siblings. Please!”_

_“Alright. Once upon a time, there was old coven…”_

_DING._

Caroline awoke to the sound of her phone receiving a text message. She blinked the sleep away from her eyes and noticed that light was peering into the bedroom. The sun hung high in the sky and she knew that it was well past the time she typically pulled herself out of bed. It was one of the many reasons she hated taking those pills, they knocked her out for hours at a time and she never knew when she would wake up.

Caroline reached for the phone that somehow had made it to her bedside table, having no memory of putting it there herself. She unlocked the phone and noticed that she had a few messages from Elena, telling her that she and Damon dropped her car off that morning and that the keys were waiting for her on the kitchen island. The most recent message and the one that pulled her from her sleep, was from Matt.

_[Matt: 10:36 am]: Come to the station when you can. I have that info you wanted._

She smiled at the message and pulled herself out of bed. The memory of the conversation she shared with Klaus the night before echoed in her mind as she prepared for the day. While the idea of being ‘marked’ by Klaus, whatever that meant, sent a chill down her spine, it did at least make her feel better knowing where her amplified emotions where coming from. If Klaus was being honest with her, it was temporary.

Yet, Caroline was not someone to take a word of a man she was going starting to get to know at blind faith. If Klaus was not going to be completely honest with her about what was going on in her own life, Caroline was bound and determined to figure it out for herself.

“Although, that seems to be exactly what he wants.” Caroline muttered and felt the distinct shift in the air as though a chuckle was rippling through it. Shaking her head, Caroline walked into her kitchen and found her car keys in the exact place Elena told them they would be and grabbed them.

It was right before noon when Caroline pulled up to the station. Beyond an incident occurring when Caroline was fourteen and she had been picked up by a police officer for making a scene in a park due to the shadows making an appearance, Caroline had never really seen the inside of the police station. It was stale, outdated and looked exactly the same from her memory almost a decade previously. The tile floor was checkered with black and white coloring while the walls had a muted beige color to them.

Jules Lockwood, Tyler’s cousin by marriage, sat behind the wooden desk picking at her nails. Caroline had forgotten that Jules worked at the police station, especially since her husband, Mason, was not exactly the most sober of people. There were many times that Mason had been picked up on some drunken disorder, but Caroline supposed it was easy then for his wife to bail him out if she worked in the police station.

“Hey Jules, I’m here to see Matt. He should be-“

“Caroline.” Caroline heard Matt’s voice and turned. He was walking towards her in his police uniform and tossed her a warm smile. Caroline looked over his shoulder to see April standing behind him, her long black hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she was holding a baby carrier. “Hey, good timing. April and I are about to grab some lunch, let me get that stuff for you!”

“Okay. Thanks.” Caroline replied and turned to April. She had never been particularly close with her. April’s father was the pastor at the local church and other than a few school events the two never mingled. Neither Bill nor Stephen were particularly religious and never got on well with either Pastor Young or Father Saltzman, both of whom had very public opinions of the open lifestyle her father’s seem to lead. “Hey April, congratulations! Is this the baby?”

“Yeah. This is Kelly.” April smiled widely and Caroline looked down at the baby. Caroline had little to no experience with small children but could at least tell that she looked like a mix between Matt and April. Kelly had wisps of black hair and Matt’s bright blue eyes. The infant’s eyes met Caroline and she let out a wail as though Caroline had hurt her. “Sorry! She is normally good with people!”

“Yeah. Well. Babies hate me apparently.” Caroline joked, as though trying to play it off as a joke but something deep down inside her told her that it was not the case. Caroline’s mind flashed to Monique and how that little girl could see the shadows, just like she could. She remembered how Hayley would talk about them in a terrified whisper when they shared a room as child. Kelly may only be a few weeks old, but she could sense something inside of Caroline. “Sorry!”

“I thought I heard her crying.” Matt joked as April sat the baby carrier down in order to pick up their daughter. Matt turned to hand Caroline a file folder that was thicker than she anticipated. “I wasn’t sure if I would find anything, but it appears that Sheila Bennett had an interesting past. She passed away a few years back, a stroke by the looks of it.”

“Oh.” Caroline replied, taking the file in hand. “I guess I won’t be selling my aunt’s stuff to her at all.”

“Yeah. What kind of stuff did your aunt have?” Matt asked her but grew distracted as Kelly’s crying increased. “Never mind, I’ll let you read through it. She has family in the area, so maybe contact them. However, from the looks of it, Sheila was not close with them.” Matt told her and walked over to his wife. “If you need anything else, let me know. I ran background checks on the family as well but didn’t come up with anything interesting. Just Sheila.”

“Thank you, Matt., I really appreciate it.” Caroline told him honestly and Matt smiled. Caroline followed him and April out of the station; the infant still whimpering whenever Caroline got too close. Something deep inside her was telling that whatever was making that baby cry, lingered inside her veins. The conversation that she had with Klaus the previous night flashed in her mind again and wondered that the mark he left on her, if it had other side effects as well.

Caroline felt her phone buzz in her pocket and saw that she had a message from an unknown number. Caroline did not even hear her phone ring, but she knew that the reception in certain parts of tow could be dodgy. She opened her phone and clicked on the voice message.

_Hey Caroline, this is Bonnie. Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. You took me by surprise, and it was a lot to process. If you want to swing by the store, I’m willing to talk with you. I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I can at least try and answer your questions. Call me at this number. Thanks._


	9. Cami's Bargain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sips coffee and waits impatiently as everyone reads this chapter and leaves review*
> 
> It's a doozy.

Sheila Bennet was born in Salem, Massachusetts and died in New Orleans, Louisiana. Everything that occurred in-between her birth and death gave Caroline a migraine as she leaned back into her driver’s side seat. Not necessarily because it answered any of Caroline’s questions but what she found was mostly uninteresting. There was something about mentioning Sheila’s name that made Bonnie freeze and seem terrified of Caroline. Yet, there was nothing showing her that Sheila was anything more than a professor at Tulane University.

Sheila’s daughter, Abby moved from New Orleans twenty years ago with her three-year-old daughter Bonnie and relocated to Virginia. Caroline stared at the date of the move and almost felt her heart drop. The move occurred almost one week after the date of Caroline’s mother’s murder. Given the photo Caroline found in Cami’s home that included Liz, Cami, Jane-Anne and Abby, she could only assume that the two events were connected.

Then there was that one small detail that made Caroline’s eyebrows raise in question. The small prickling of _pride_ in the back of her mind told her that she was on the right path. She closed the file and opened her glove box before stuffing the file into it before shutting it with a rough snap. She crawled out of the car and began walking down the sidewalk close to where Bonnie’s store was. Caroline set off to Richmond the moment she received Bonnie’s message. She gave her a quick call, informing her voicemail that she would be on her way and set off without a second thought. Caroline was not doing much as it was, due to being unemployed, and there was only so many times she could look at Cami’s belongings without dissolving into tears.

The mid-September breeze flowed around her and Caroline pulled the light blue cardigan tighter around her shoulders. She weaved in and out of the light afternoon foot traffic and made her way towards the small shop that she was thrown out of only the day before. It did not take long before she reached it and this time she did not pause to see if the shadows lingered there or not. By this point, Caroline just assumed that they followed her anywhere she went.

The store had not changed in the twenty-four hours that she had last seen it. Bonnie perked her head up when the light bell rung that hung over the door. Her brown eyes widened slightly, and Caroline could not help but notice how her shoulders tensed at the sight of her. Taking a deep breath, Bonnie turned to her left and Caroline realized that Bonnie was not the only person in the store.

A tall man stood by the counter with dark brown hair and had a boyish angular face. There was a hint of stubble on his chin that offset the youthful features he had, telling Caroline that the man was within her age range. He was in jeans, a light grey shirt with a jean jacket over top. In the back of her mind, Caroline wondered who still owned a jean jacket and by the chuckle in the back of her head told her that Klaus was amused by her observation.

“Kai, can you watch the store for a bit?” Bonnie asked the man who was now looking at Caroline in curiosity, as though he had never seen someone like her before. Kai nodded his head while Bonnie walked around the counter. Kai’s eyes darted between Bonnie and Caroline, but he said nothing. Bonnie nodded her head towards the back room and Caroline followed; feeling Kai’s eyes on her the entire time she retired from the main area of the shop.

“Boyfriend?” Caroline asked, hoping to break some of the tension and Bonnie snorted at the question.

“He wishes.” Bonnie muttered in a low tone that made Caroline chuckled. She thought on Stefan and wondered if Bonnie had someone who didn’t understand that they were pining after someone who did not want to be involved with them. Bonnie took her through a wooden door that was behind the counter and Caroline walked around it, she swore for a moment that the blonde in the painting from the day before moved. They entered what appeared to be a kitchen in what Caroline would have imagined one from a modern fairytale would look like.

The walls were made white brick and there were dried herbs hanging from hooks on the wall at one side. There were piles of books on a wooden table that appeared to be used as an island. Caroline could see a mortar and pestle resting there with what appeared to be something crushed inside. On the other end of the kitchen, near a back door, was a bookshelf that contained more books and what Caroline thought were crystals. An electric stove was on one of the counters and a cast iron pot with something stewing inside it. The smell coming from the pot was earthy, but Caroline could the smell a hint of spice inside of it.

Bonnie motioned to a stool that was tucked under the table and Caroline sat down on it. Bonnie moved around the kitchen and pulled out a kettle, filled it with water and placed it on the stove. She moved toward the pot and made a motion with her hand but paused. Caroline could see Bonnie gaze at her for a moment and then gave a slight shake of her head. She reached for a spoon that was resting beside the stove and stirred whatever it was inside the pot.

“Thank you for seeing me. I do appreciate it.” Caroline told her, hoping to ease the tension she could see that Bonnie was feeling. Bonnie gave her a small smile and grabbed a jar of herbs that Caroline only assumed was tea. “I have a lot of questions and honestly, I have no idea what is going on. I’m sorry if I scared you yesterday.”

“It is me who should be apologizing.” Bonnie turned and crossed her arms. “If my mom was still alive, she would skin me for throwing you out like I did.” She paused, collecting her thoughts. Caroline felt anxious, wanting to pull every ounce of knowledge that Bonnie was keeping from her to the forefront but knew that she should not push her if she wanted to remain in that kitchen. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know where to begin.” A moment lingered between the two women and the thousand questions Caroline’s head rolled around, unable to pick which one she wanted to lead with. “Ever since I was a child, I would see these things on the walls. Shadows. My aunt Cami always told me to never play with them. They went away for a long time but now they seem to be coming back.” Caroline paused and took deep breath, collecting herself, before pushing forward. “My stepdad was recently murdered. I found his body and the Shadows were dancing over it.”

“I’m so sorry.” Bonnie whispered, her eyes going wide at the knowledge that someone close to Caroline had been murdered. “The Shadows, they move in an inhuman way, as though they are beckoning you reach out and touch them.” Caroline sat up straighter and nodded, feeling as though her breath was sucked out of her. “Yes. I’ve seen them. Not often and not since I was young, but I remember them.”

“What are they?”

“My mother never gave me a straight answer on that but from what I’ve read in her grimoire, I think they are a byproduct of black magic.” Bonnie replied, the kettle blowing the steam out of its spout. She moved to pull the hot water off the stove before placing several herbs into a teapot. Bonnie poured the hot liquid over the herbs, placed a delicate lid on top and let it seep. “You said that your aunt had occult items that she left you? What where they?”

“Um, candles. Lots of candles. There were some crystals, like those.” Caroline stated, pointing to the ones Bonnie had on the shelf. “Several knives with weird markings on them. A silver pendant and old books in language that I don’t understand. A few other things too, chalk and some salt. A few little things that I’m not sure exactly what they are.”

“Your aunt was a practicing wiccan.” Bonnie replied in a matter of fact tone and appeared completely unsurprised. By Bonnie’s reaction yesterday, Caroline was willing to bet that she knew Cami was one the moment Caroline offered her mother’s maiden name.

“What does that mean exactly?”

“It’s what I am. Some people call it witchcraft while others call it a religion.” Bonnie turned and picked up the teapot and brought it to the wooden table. She pulled two teacups from the cupboard and poured it into to the cup. “Sugar?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Wiccan is not what you think it would be. Yes, there is the practice of magic, but we don’t ride around on brooms or craft loves spells for innocent men to fall in love with us. In fact, I know several men who practice as well. Kai for example.” Caroline’s eyes flickered to the door while her heart seized up at the thought of witchcraft. “Do you need a moment?”

“Maybe?” Caroline whispered. Witchcraft. She was not as surprised as she thought she should be. After everything that had happened over the last few weeks and given the fact that she finally was coming to accept the fact that the shadows were real. Having a simple answer of ‘magic’ was both reassuring and frightening. “Are you like, born a witch or something?”

“No…well, kind of. Most wiccans are brought up in the religion, but anyone can convert if they want.” Bonnie replied. “However, it takes years to get to the point where they can actually do anything from creating potions to floating feathers.” Caroline nodded and took a sip of her tea and was surprise at the almost bitter taste of it. “My mother was a wiccan before she died and brought me up as one. I’ve been practicing since I was really little.”

“Your mom was named Abby? Right? That is what you said yesterday.” Bonnie nodded and Caroline bit her lip, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that magic was real, and her aunt appeared to be a witch. She recalled the file on Sheila that Matt had given her and wondered on a small detail in it. “Why did she have a restraining order against her mother? Sheila Bennet?”

“I see you’ve done your homework.” Bonnie replied in a voice that clearly had taken her off guard.

“People I love have died. I’m being haunted by something not human. Hell, I’m just beginning realize I’m either not losing my mind and magic is real, or I’ve completely lost it.” The words tumbled out of Caroline’s mouth before she even had time to process what she was saying. “So, yes. I looked into the name that was written on the back of a photo of my mother and aunt. Just tell me what is going on. Please?”

“Okay.” Bonnie’s voice was low and guarded. “I don’t know everything, but I will tell you what I do know.” Caroline nodded, willing to take any information she could. “I think I’ll start with explaining the basics of Wicca. It revolves around the balance of nature. We draw our power and magic through things such as crystals, pendants and herbs or flowers. Trees are big energy source to draw from as well. Anything with a life force can be used. For example, certain herbs can be used to heal wounds or illnesses. My mother for example was sick for a very long time. We used a mixture of herbs, crystals and other natural spells to prolong her life for as long as possible.”

“Couldn’t magic just, I don’t know. Cure her?”

“Magic isn’t an end all be all. We can’t just wave a wand and make this go away. I mean, we can banish objects if you know what you’re doing but it doesn’t work like that for illness or anything similar.” Bonnie paused, thinking of where to go next. “Wicca involves a balance. Everything that lives must die; everything that dies gives life. Most wiccans practice in a way that tries to heal and keep that balance. However, like with every religion, there are those who warp the true meaning of it for darker purposes.”

“I don’t understand.” Caroline asked, trying to wrap her head around the concept of wiccan and witchcraft. From what she had gathered from her aunt’s trunk, it was clear that Cami had practiced, and Stephen had said that Liz had as well in her younger years. That made Caroline wonder if the world had been different, would she have been brought up with ideals? “What does that have to do with your grandmother?”

“I only met my grandmother once. I was eleven and she knocked on our front door. My mother slammed it in her face.” Bonnie took a long drink of her tea. “My grandmother practiced dark magic. Very dark magic.” She paused again, collecting her thoughts before pressing forward. “My grandmother was born in Salem and was brought up in a coven that dedicated itself to dark magic. They would pull their energy from blood magic and that of human life.”

“Like, human scarifies?”

“Yes.” Something rolled in the pit of Caroline’s stomach, feeling as though she couldn’t speak. Memories of her mother’s dead body on the basement floor lingered in the forefront of her mind. A wave of calm weaved through her veins and Caroline felt grateful, knowing that it was Klaus who was trying his best to ease her suffering. “Sheila rose in the ranks of her coven and eventually moved to New Orleans to take her place as a high priestess.”

“So, she was like Dumbledore?” Caroline asked in what she hoped sounded like a lighthearted voice, but she was not fooling anyone. Bonnie shook her head, unable to meet Caroline’s gaze. “Or by the sounds of it she is more like Voldemort?”

“More like a Death Eater, if you want a comparison.” Bonnie replied, still not looking at Caroline. “Every couple of decades, her coven, the coven that my mother was brought up in, would do a ritual. This ritual required a sacrifice. A human one. The high priestess would lay whomever was chosen, typically a woman, in the middle of a pentagram. She would carve a spell with a baptized knife into her skin before taking that knife and driving in through the heart of the sacrifice.”

Caroline felt the world disappear and flash of a forgotten memory pass before her eyes.

_Liz was lying in the middle of the floor, surrounded by candles and chalk. Her screams echoed throughout the home and four-year-old Caroline was held down on the ground, two sets of hands keeping her still. She moved and yelled for her mother, but Liz could not hear her. The flicker of the flames from the candles made the shadows dance. Caroline could hear their rhythm pounding her ears, the burn on her shoulder bruising deep into her skin._

_A tall imposing woman stood over Liz’s withering body. She wore a dark looking cloak with silk purple hemming. Her skin was that of chocolate and the curl of her hair peaked out of the hood covering her head. There was a knife in her hand, and she carved foreign words into Liz’s pale skin. Blood trickled down her arms and mixed with the chalk that was on the ground._

_“Mommy!” Caroline’s young voice screamed out and the chuckles of the shadows off set her screams. Caroline tried to reach Liz, but the hands kept her from moving. Liz turned her head and gazed at her daughter. A small trickle of tears lingers in her eyes and she the best she could to give her daughter a small smile._

_“I’m alright Honey. You be brave now okay? I love you. Always remember that.”_

“Caroline? Are you okay?” Bonnie’s voice broke through her trance and slowly the memory of the basement in her old home faded away. Caroline found herself hunched over a porcelain sink and the taste of bile in her mouth. Caroline dry heaved into the sink again and Bonnie rubbed her back soothingly. “Here drink this.”

Bonnie handed her a glass and Caroline took a sip, realizing that it was just ice-cold water. She swallowed a few mouthfuls before swishing more around in her mouth and spitting it out into the sink; cleansing her mouth of the bile that was lingering there. She took a few deep breaths and stood up straight. Her skin felt clammy and she caught a glimpse of her reflection in teakettle. She was pale and sickly looking. Caroline suddenly felt grateful that she had not eaten that day, for she was sure that the food would be lingering in Bonnie’s sink instead of a few ounces of bile.

“It was her? Wasn’t it?”

“Who?”

“Your grandmother.” Caroline took another sip of the water and leaned again the sink. “Your grandmother was the one who murdered my mother.” Bonnie remained still and Caroline could see the remorse in her eyes. “And my mother was the sacrifice, wasn’t she?” Bonnie said nothing and Caroline could feel anger swell up inside her like a rod of hot fury. “Answer me!”

“I’m so sorry!” Bonnie rushed out and Caroline felt the need to lash out. Caroline suddenly envisioned herself with thorns for fingernails and wanted to lash out at Bonnie, slicing her throat and having her blood mixed with the wood floor. “It was why we fled New Orleans. My mother didn’t understand what was happening. She didn’t realize that her friend was chosen to be murdered in some blood sacrifice. She didn’t want me raised in that, so she packed a few things, ran and practically disappeared.”

“And the restraining order?”

“Was put in place when she tracked us down.” Bonnie told her and Caroline nodded, the desire to slit Bonnie’s throat was slowly fading and Caroline wondered if the desire came herself at all or it was Klaus. It almost bothered her that she did not know the answers. “After my mother slammed the door in her face, I never saw her again.”

“What happened after that? Your mother just continued to teach you to practice the same magic that lead your grandmother to commit murder?” Caroline could hear the hollowness of her voice. It sounded dead and suddenly there was a cold chill the swelled up inside her; she wondered if perhaps she was dead inside after all. It would explain why everyone around her died.

“It’s not the same. Different sec of magic. I would never practice such dark and vile magic.” Bonnie took a deep breath. “I don’t know why my mom chose Richmond, but I think it was to be close to you.” Bonnie looked down at her hands. “In her delirium during her final days, she told me that we had to keep Liz’s daughter safe. I thought she was going crazy what with death closing in but now I think she was has sane as she ever was. I think she chose Richmond to be close to you and one day hopefully keep the shadows and everything at bay.”

“What happened to Sheila? I read she died of a stroke?”

“Yeah. That’s the official reason anyway.” Bonnie muttered and Caroline cocked her head in question. “I don’t know the specifics, but my mom once told that my grandmother made a deal with a demon. I don’t know which one, because there are so many, or what she asked for, but she traded her soul for whatever it was. Eventually the demon came calling. To the outside world, it looked like a stroke, but it wasn’t.” Bonnie picked up her tea again, not even blowing on it because it had gone cold. “It was a reaping.”

“Wait. A demon? What?” Caroline asked in a confused tone. She was so focused on the realization that her mother was not merely murdered but sacrificed by a coven of witches that she almost missed Bonnie stating that her grandmother had made a deal with a demon. “I didn’t realize that they were a real thing?”

“Demons? Yes. They are. If a wiccan is talented enough or has enough energy, she can summon one. My grandmother was very powerful. Like I said she made a deal and traded her soul for it.” Bonnie shook her head. “Personally, I do not know what would be precious enough to trade such a thing, especially when it would mean an eternity of torment.”

“Torment?” The word slipped through Caroline’s lips as a whisper, but she wasn’t even hearing it. Wheels were turning in her mind and the gears were clicking together a puzzle that she did not know that she was putting together. Something became clear and a question she had once asked in a hotel in Georgia was finally answered and Caroline remembered a passage from Cami’s letter.

_But I know exactly what I had done and the price I’m going to one day pay._

“What did you say?”

“My aunt left me a letter saying that she didn’t regret the price she would have to pay.” Bonnie’s eyes went wide, looking at Caroline as though she had gone mad. “She died of stroke, but I don’t think that was it. You said that you don’t know what demon your grandmother made a deal with?” Bonnie shook her head in the negative. “Does the name Klaus ring any bells?”

“Niklaus? Like the demon Niklaus?” Bonnie asked in small voice. A memory of old books in the trunk Cami left behind sprung to mind the pages all written in a language Caroline did speak lingered in her mind for a moment. The word ‘Niklaus’ was written on those pages. Caroline nodded and Bonnie shrugged. “Yeah. He is one of the seven but like I said I don’t know if he was the one, she made a deal with.”

“I have to go.”

“What?”

“I need to get out of here.” Caroline told Bonnie suddenly and all but shot out of her chair. She ran to the door and retched it open, running into the main area of the shop; ignoring Bonnie calling after her. Caroline ran past Kai who was sitting behind the counter, completely taken aback by Caroline’s sudden appearance.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and there was a sharp pierce in her lungs that she could not explain. She ran down the street, not caring at the annoyed glances she got from those who she passed. There was a stream of calm that was flooding her veins, but her adrenaline and anger was pushing forward and outweigh whatever emotion Klaus was trying to manipulate her with. When Caroline reached her car, she opened the door was a force that should not have been humanely possible, denting the door as it hit the parking meter on the sidewalk.

Caroline did not care as she started her car and pushed it into drive. She cut off another driver as she whipped out of her parking spot and pushed forward, not really know where she was going. Her heart was pounding and her mind wheeling. Three massive realizations hit her all at once and she did not know how to process them.

The night Liz had been murdered was something that haunted Caroline for a very long time. There were parts that had haunted her nightmares while others were blurry and almost blank. To have a name to go with her murder did not give Caroline the closure she thought it would have, if anything, it made everything much worse. It almost made it real and not just a nightmare she saw when she closed her eyes.

“Sweetheart….” Klaus’s voice chimed from the backseat. Caroline knew that if she looked back, he would not be there, so her eyes moved to the rearview mirror. There he was in all of his inhuman glory. Caroline had known that Klaus was different for a little over a week now but putting a name to what he was made her skin crawl. “Talk to me Caroline. Your emotions are all over the place. You need to talk to me.”

“You’re a demon.” The words slipped past her lips and she thought she might vomit. The memories of the night they had together rolled in her stomach. She remembered how it felt to be touched by him and the sound of her own voice as she cried out his name. She had willingly given her body to a demon and enjoyed every sinful act he had done to her body. She reveled in it, dreamt about it and deep down, she knew that she craved to feel his body against hers; but knowing what he was, made her almost fearful. “I had sex with a demon.”

“Yes. I am a demon and yes you did.” Klaus replied but there was not smug trace in his voice. Caroline felt only apprehension and concern from his end of the bond. There was not enjoyment that he was sending her, Caroline could feel the genuine concern he held for her and that only made her angrier. “Sweetheart…”

“Don’t.” Caroline hissed through clenched teeth. “You explained what this was. The bond. Stating that it was necessary in order for you to keep me safe in whatever the fuck is going on. I accepted that we are somehow connected and that I feel you. The waves of anger and everything else that comes with it, I’ve accepted. I found all those occult items in Cami’s trunk I thought maybe you were into whatever she was. I knew you were something else but a demon?”

“It does not change anything for me, Caroline.”

“For you?! Maybe not but you didn’t just learn that you had sex with a demon.” Caroline hissed out. The third thing on her mind made its way to the forefront of her mind. “Cami said I shouldn’t trust you but that you would hold up the end of your deal.” Klaus knew better than to speak in that moment, the fury radiating off of Caroline was harsh and obvious, even without the bond. “The night that we met, your brother was with you. I’m assuming he was a demon too?” Klaus nodded in confirmation. “You said he had a delivery to make. What was that delivery?”

“He was taking your aunt’s soul to the underworld. It was her the end of the bargain. Her soul for your protection.” Hearing Bonnie discuss her grandmother’s death as she had, a stroke, and about the deal Sheila had made that took her life, made Caroline realize the gravity of what her aunt had done. “We were in New Orleans to collect payment.”

“Get out of my car.”

“Caroline…”

“Get out of my car!” Caroline screamed at the top of her lungs, swerving into the other lane as she did so. A car blew its horn as it swerved off to the side of the road in order to miss her. Caroline pulled her car back into the correct driving lane and continued pushing forwarded in the direction of her home. She increased her speed, tears streaming down her face as she did. She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that Klaus was gone.

The remainder of the drive did not sooth her emotions. Hot and furious tears continued to fall while the back of her throat felt raw and hoarse. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly and she was leaving a dent, something she knew should not have been possible. The despair that was echoing deep inside of her chest only seemed magnified compared to what it had been only a few hours prior.

_Cami had sold her soul to keep her safe._ That thought continued to pound in her mind so loudly, it felt like her own conscious had decided to use those words as a weapon against her. Guilt and grief mingled with the anger and anguish she was dealing with. Giving one’s life and soul for another seemed like a romantic idea in theory, but in practice, Caroline found it to be nauseating.

When Caroline pulled into her driveway and let herself into the house. It was dark and cold, the only light coming in was from the sun shining through the windows and the hint of sulfur hung in the air. Klaus was there and she could feel him. It was an apprehensive feeling that she knew did not belong to her. She was quickly beginning to tell what emotions where hers, compared to those that belong to Klaus. Stepping deeper into the dark hallway, she turned to look at the mirror that hung there and saw Klaus standing next to the stairway much like he had been the night before.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” The lifeless tone that Caroline’s voice took on even surprised her. She had wanted it to sound harsher and made of steel, but she found that her voice just felt weak and tired. Klaus knew that. He knew that in this moment she was weak and broken, and she should be terrified that he would use that to harm her, for he was a demon, but there was an undertone of something in the emotions she felt coming from his end of the bond. No matter how angry she was or how disgusted with him she felt, she could tell that he would never harm her.

“Then don’t. Just listen.” Caroline closed her eyes, not wanting to look at him. “Your aunt summoned me the night we made the deal. She sought me out, already hell bent on making the deal to keep you safe. I almost considered turning her away but then she showed me a memory of you. The memory she had of finding you lying next to your mother’s recently murdered body.” Caroline froze, not wanting to think on the fact that both her mother and her aunt had been involved with something so heinous as summoning demons. “If I did not take the deal, someone else would have. She gave me her soul on her own volition. It was not forced from her.”

“You murdered her.”

“No. I _reaped_ her. The death of her human body was just a side effect.” A flash of irrational anger hit Caroline like a sledgehammer. She whipped around and reached for the top of the mirror, gripping the iron frame tightly and ripped it from its hinges. The mirror crashed to the ground, shards of the broken mirror scattering across the floor. A dent from the mirror’s forceful removal remained behind and Caroline could see chunks of the drywall mixed with the glass.

“You reaped her? Like that was meant to make it better.” Caroline told the cold air, knowing that Klaus could hear her. She made her way towards the stairs, her shoes stepping on the shards of glass; the sound of the glass crunching beneath her feet hit broke the silence of her still house. She did not care about the mess and had no intention of cleaning it up, something that Caroline thought in the back of her mind was very unlike her. She was not one to let a mess linger in her home, but she could not find it in her to even attempt to clean it up.

Caroline made her way up the stairs and headed into her bedroom. She kicked off her shoes, the soles of them having shards of glass stuck in them. She went to Cami’s trunk and opened the lid. She pulled out her aunt’s letter that Klaus had left behind that night. She unfolded it and began reading it again, for the millionth time. She sat down at her vanity, allowing the words to roll over her.

This was why Bill had never wanted Caroline to spend her summers in New Orleans. He had known that Cami had sold her soul to Klaus and that one-day Klaus would come for her. Was he terrified that it would somehow taint his daughter? Or was he scared that Cami would teach her the same way Bonnie’s mom had taught her? Would Caroline have wanted to learn if she knew?

_But I know exactly what I had done and the price I’m going to one day pay. If it means that you’re safe and that you do not meet the same fate as your mother, then it is a price I’ll gladly pay. Please know that I do not regret my decision Caroline._

Caroline read that line in Cami’s letter over and over again, taking on a new meaning. Cami had made peace with the decision she had made. She had twenty years to reflect on her fact and never once regretted it, because it gave Caroline a fighting chance at staying alive and not ending up laying down in the center of a pentagram with a ceremonial blade shoved through her heart.

“Did it hurt?” Caroline asked into the empty room. The temperature dropped an inch and Caroline looked up into the vanity mirror and saw Klaus sitting on her bed. She didn’t bother turning around, she knew he would not be there. She had not felt his physical form since that night in Georgia when something tried to get at her. “When you took Cami, did you hurt her?”

“I ripped her soul from her body Caroline, it wasn’t a pleasant experience for her.” Klaus told her in a gentle tone and tears fell down her cheeks again; only this time they were soft. “When I showed up at her door, she came willingly. Handed me that letter to give to you and I took her. If she had fought against it, the pain would have been unimageable, but she didn’t. She held up her end and I will hold up mine.”

“Where is she now?”

“In my domain.” Caroline gave him a confused look and Klaus sighed. He stood from the bed and placed his hands on her shoulders, and Caroline realized that it wasn’t just his reflection in the room with her. “Demons each have a collection of souls, some of them, like your aunts, linger in a sort of eternal limbo. Right now, she is reliving parts of her life that she would rather forget.”

“She is in hell.”

“No. Hell is a place where people who are unable to find peace go. They burn in a fire that is never ending and eternal. The pain of it is immense, like your skin is being melted from your bones and death is not there to give you release. Your aunt is not there.” Caroline did not know if that made her feel better or not. “She gave me her soul and so she will be stuck in my domain, lingering there for eternity.”

“And Stephen? My father? What of them?” Caroline asked. A thousand different questions about the afterlife echoed in her mind. Before her stood confirmation about what happened of one died, but Caroline only cared for those she loved and where their souls and where they ended up. Did they belong to Klaus too? Where they destined to relive memories of their lives that they wished to forget. “Do they belong to you as well?”

“No. I do not know what became of them.” Klaus told her honestly and gave her shoulders a light massage, Caroline still unable to turn around to face him. “I do not believe their souls belonged to anyone else but themselves. Whether they found themselves facing hellfire or if they found peace, I don’t know. I do not bother with souls that do not concern me.”

“And my mother?”

“Her soul did not belong to me.” Caroline frowned at the wording. If Liz’s soul did not belong to Klaus, then who did it belong to? What had Liz gotten up to in the days leading up to her death that would have Cami selling her own soul to protect Caroline? Klaus slowly pushed down the edge of her sweater and traced the scar on her shoulder, Caroline hissing at the contact. “Every demon as a mark. Some run deeper than others, it all depends on how the mark is administered. Mine is etched onto your bones but it will fade with time, unless you complete the ritual I started the night we met.”

“I don’t-“Caroline was cut off by the buzzing in her pocket. “Shit, shit, shit. I forgot about Elena.” She looked down to pull out her phone and looked up, feeling Klaus’s hands leave her shoulder. Klaus was no longer standing behind her. Caroline whipped around, searching her bedroom for a sign of him but she found herself completely alone.

“I’m still mad at you!” Caroline yelled into the empty room and could feel the acceptance flow through her, telling her that Klaus understood and was giving her space. Caroline looked down at her phone and swore. She stood from the vanity and went to her closet, pulling out a pair of shoes that were not full of broken glass. She typed a quick message on her phone before heading out the bedroom door.

_[Elena: 5:32 pm: still meeting at the Grill for dinner?]_

_[Caroline: 5:34 pm: Yup. On my way now]_

Caroline made her way down the stairs and bypassed the broken mirror, not caring to clean it up. If someone broke into her home and hurt themselves on the glass, well, serve them right. She vaguely wondered if broken glass could hurt Klaus should he try and leave her another letter from some other dead relative or if the glass would hurt the shadows if they were to wait for her return that evening.

The drive to the Grill was far quicker compared to the one from Bonnie’s shop. The small pub style restaurant was only five minutes from Caroline’s house and the only decent place to eat within the town’s boarders. It was a Saturday night so Caroline knew that it would be busy and that there would be teenagers taking over the place, just like Caroline had done when she was younger.

The Grill was packed, like Caroline expected and the dim lighting almost made Caroline wince. She gazed around, searching each corner for something she did not want to see. Nervous and exhausted energy flowed through her as she searched. She did not know if she would be able to handle seeing the shadows in that moment. She still felt raw and tried. She thought that if she saw the shadows now, lingering in the corners or dancing on the walls, Caroline might actually loose her mind.

Her eyes scanned the dimmed pub in search for Elena. She found her friend sitting alone in one of the booths at the far of the pub and far away from the rest of the crowed. Caroline sighed in relief, not wanting to be in the middle of restaurant where she was bound to be stopped by well-wishers and sympathetic looks. She knew that the town meant well but she could only take so many condolences at the moment.

Caroline quickly made her way to the booth and slid into the seat across from Elena. Caroline took in her best friend’s appearance. Elena looked tired, haggard and just downright frustrated. There were bags under her brown eyes and her hair was falling down her back in slight curls that she hated. Caroline thought Elena was pretty with the chocolate locks she was blessed with, but Elena always straightened her hair until it was pin straight. Caroline assumed that her friend was fighting a hangover, by the bags under her eyes and the fact that she did not bother straighten her hair, and by the amount of wine Elena could consume, Caroline knew too well how accustomed Elena was at fighting off a hangover. This must have been a bad one.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Not feeling the best today. Something greasy will help though. And fries. Lots of fries.” Elena muttered and Caroline nodded. She assumed that Elena had spent the majority of the day in bed. Caroline did not know how Elena was capable of drinking an entire bottle of wine alone and still manage to teach a room full of children the next morning. “I might have drunk a good bit after you left last night. Stefan was insufferable and I might have gotten into a massive argument with Damon when he finally decided to come home.”

“I’m sorry. That sounds awful. I really should have left when I realized Stefan was there.” Caroline muttered. “I might have given Damon an earful for telling Stefan about my one-night stand. Honestly it is none of Stefan’s business who I sleep with! I mean, it’s not like I’m dealing with a lot of shit right now and Stefan really is not making it better.” Caroline snapped, a wave of fresh anger coursed through her and she realized that her emotions did not belong to her, due to the underlining hint of jealousy that linger there. “Sorry. I’m having a shitty day too.”

“Greif sucks.” Elena gave her a sympathetic smile and nodded, understanding how much of a toll grief took on the body and mind. A server, a teenage girl who clearly was new and working her first job, approached their table and enthusiastically took their order. Caroline chuckled at Elena’s order, the greasiest and calorie induced burger she could fine. “Anyway, don’t apologize. Stefan was out of line yesterday and the fact that he grabbed you is not okay. But I need you not to get mad at me.”

“Elena…. that is not a good way to start this conversation.” Caroline looked at her friend wearily and Elena gave her a sheepish look. “What did you do?”

“Okay, well. I had a meeting with Matt earlier today, in my hangover glory. It was like Matt knew I was three seconds from vomiting and his knowing grin was irritating.” Elena muttered. “Anyway, the police station is doing this thing on Monday where they come to the school, talk to the kids about safety stuff. You know, don’t take candy from strangers and stop drop and roll…you know, the basics.” Caroline nodded along, trying to push Elena forward in her story. “We were in my classroom, setting up for Monday and well, I might have let slip that Stefan was at our house last night unexpectedly.”

“Tell me you didn’t. Please tell me you did not get Matt involved.”

“He was very upset to hear that Stefan grabbed you. You know how seriously Matt takes domestic abuse, especially after that fiasco Vicki found herself in a two years ago.” Caroline scowled at Elena and shook her head. The waitress came back with their food and placed it down in front of them, but Caroline did not acknowledge her. “I told Matt to drop it, that nothing happened, and that Damon stepped in. I don’t think he is going to say anything without your permission first, but he wants to know immediately if Stefan does anything else.”

“Great. Just great.” Caroline muttered and Elena at least had the audacity to look ashamed and embarrassed. Caroline knew that her friend meant well and was only doing it out of concern, but Caroline really did not want to involve Matt. Matt was a good guy and she did not want to bring him into the mess that was her life. “I really don’t want to think about this, or deal with this right now. I had a really shitty day and need a distraction. Tell me something. Anything that does not involve Stefan or Matt.”

“I think Damon is having an affair.” Caroline took a sip of her drink at that exact moment and started chocking on the liquid. After a few rounds of coughing, Caroline turned to look at Elena with wide eyes. The tears pooling in the brown eyes of her friend told Caroline that this was something that had been on Elena’s mind for a while. “Wait! What? Are you sure?”

“No. I don’t know.” Elena sucked in a breath. “He has been going out a lot lately. Spending late nights at the office and I mean I get it. He works for the mayor and sits on the town council and it really is an entry level position, so he is the gofer for a lot of things but coming home after midnight, claiming to be working? He is busy, I get that, but I just have this gut feeling that something isn’t right. And then last night, after he dropped you off, it took him two hours to come back to the house. You live ten minutes away, what was he doing for two hours?”

“He left immediately after dropping me off. He didn’t get out of the car.” Caroline said, baffled. She knew Damon was a grade A asshole, but she never thought he would cheat on Elena. He worships the ground she walks on. “What did he say when you asked him what took so long?”

“He said Mayor Lockwood needed him to do something.” Elena snorted. “I mean, okay, I get he is pretty much at Mayor Lockwood’s beck and call but, he left me alone with his brother. I don’t think Stefan would do anything to me, but Stefan is losing his damn mind apparently with his broken heart and Damon spends more time worrying about that than spending time with me anymore; but then up and leaves me with Stefan because work called? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Did you confront him about it?”

“We got into another massive fight this morning after I met with Matt. Damon handed me his phone and told me to go through it. He says that he has never cheated and wouldn’t.”

“Did you? Go through the phone I mean?” Elena shook her head, telling Caroline that she didn’t. “Look, I’m not Damon’s biggest fan and we both know that. However, I do think that he loves you. That man would jump over backwards to please you. So maybe, when he says it is just work, maybe that is all that it is. Work.” Caroline reached over and grabbed Elena’s hand. “How long has this been bothering you?”

“A little while. A couple weeks.” Elena admitted and Caroline’s eyes went wide. She had no idea that her friend was having doubts in her marriage. “Don’t look at me like that. You had so much going on. Losing your job, Stefan, Cami dying and then Stephen. I didn’t want to add to your plate. Okay? And you’re right. Maybe I am just over reacting.”

“No matter what is going on in my life, I still want you to come and talk to me; about anything okay?” Caroline told Elena and the other woman nodded, tears pricking in her eyes. “And if Damon is cheating on you, I’ll cut his balls off and feed them to him. Everyone thinks I’m nuts so I probably could get away with it.” Elena burst out laughing and Caroline gave her a small smile, it being nice to hear it. Caroline felt her phone buzz in her purse, and she looked down at her bag. “Sorry. Hold on.” Caroline reached into the bag and pulled out her phone. “Oh, its Bonnie just checking up on me.”

“Whose Bonnie?” Elena reacted quickly; her voice confused at the mention of an unfamiliar name. Caroline realized that she had not told Elena about the store in Richmond or the occult items that belongs to her aunt. For a moment, Caroline debated telling Elena the truth but decided against it. The last thing her friend needed to worry about was witchcraft, shadows and demons. “Caroline Forbes, are you best friend cheating on me?”

“No. Bonnie owns a store in Richmond. She is looking at some of my aunts’ stuff. I don’t need it all and I might have had a little breakdown in her shop today. She was really nice about it though. I guess she deals with grieving people a lot.” Caroline told her, the lie slipping through her lips far easier than it should have. “She said she is coming by tomorrow to look at the bigger ticket items, I guess. At least that is what her message says.”

“Your aunt did have a lot of stuff.” Elena replied, having handled the delivery of Cami’s items herself a week prior. “Do you want me to swing by? I don’t have much going on tomorrow, unless you count a mopey brother-in-law who spends more time at the Boarding House than his own apartment.”

“No.” Caroline replied quickly. “Don’t worry about it. It’s going to be a lot of Bonnie just looking at items, seeing their worth. That type thing. There won’t be much for you to do.” Elena eyed her friend curiously but said nothing. “Why don’t you take the day and spend with Damon? It’s a Sunday and even Mayor Lockwood can’t be that selfish to pull him away from his loving wife on a day of worship. She is too busy pretending to be religious.” Elena snorted at that and Caroline cracked a smile, the worry and fear from the day settle slightly. “How about we pretend that no one has died and that our biggest problems are that Pearl at the paper being too demanding and the Fell nightmare twins in your class are driving you nuts. That is unless you want to rant about Damon. I’m always down for some Damon bashing.”

“Ugh. I’ve been obsessing over this for days and it feels nice to talk about it but now I don’t want to think about it.” Elena said and Caroline nodded, happy to discuss something other than her own life, even if her mind could think of nothing else. “Meredith did do something rather hilarious in class the other day though.”

“Sticking up for Logan?”

“Of course. Meredith is the good twin.” Elena replied and began detailing the strange misadventure the two students who always caused Elena the most trouble. Caroline listened but Elena’s voice was going in one ear and out the other; her mind replaying Bonnie’s message over and over again.

_[Bonnie: 6:15 pm]: Hey Caroline, I’m just checking in to see if you are okay. I think I might have an idea that could help. Please know that I don’t practice the way my grandmother did, and I mean you no harm. Send me your address and I’ll swing by tomorrow afternoon._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?????  
> Was it what you expected?  
> Are things coming together yet??
> 
> I had a few reviews where everyone thought Sheila was going to be a good guy....but after Wanderlust you all should know better than to assume that with me. 
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Leave me a review.


	10. Meeting with the Dead

_Klaus’s lips trailed her collar bone, causing her to let out a whimper. Caroline arched against his hands as the left light trails against her hip. His tongue peaked out from behind his lips, sucking at the base of her neck. Caroline gripped his shoulders, her nails that were impossibly sharp scratched at his shoulders, leaving trails of blood linger down his pale back, staining the perfect white satin sheets._

_The room of the Abattoir held an eerie hue to it. It almost seemed brighter than she remembered, and the window looked out onto a deep purple sky. Candles flickered around her and Caroline could see a white pentagram written on the wooden ceiling. A chandelier hung from the ceiling and the diamonds shined brightly in the darkness._

_His hands made a slow pace down her hips. His skin felt impossibly soft and the chills from his touch felt as though he touched something far deeper than her skin. The kisses from his lips were perfect in a way that made Caroline shiver with desire at the feel of them. He sucked and nipped at her skin, his teeth grazing that particular spot she itched to be bitten. Klaus’s teeth were impossibly white and impossibly straight; they could not be human. Caroline itched to know what they would feel like buried in her neck._

_“Klaus.” Caroline gave a slight sigh, his name falling from her lips almost like a prayer. Klaus gave that chuckle, the same one from the night they met; the one that sent a chill through her soul. Caroline turned her head to silence the unworldly amusement that was etched into his impossible features. She leaned up and took his lips against hers and kissed him. Their lips mingled together for a moment, Caroline refusing to give him the dominance she could tell he craved. She weaved her fingers through his hair and pulled his head back from her lips. “I’m still mad at you.”_

_“A stubborn thing like yourself? I expect nothing less.” His lips returned to their explorations of her neck. He kissed his way down to her naked breast while his hand traced over her stomach, his fingers inching closer to the heat of her center. Caroline found her legs opening as he slowly slipped his fingers inside her, pumping and curling them at an agonizing pace. Caroline could feel the coil in her stomach begin to grow, threatening to snap at any given second. “I can feel the hurt at the loss of your aunt. It pains me to know that I was the one to cause you this agony.”_

_“Then let Cami go.” Caroline hissed, her back arching off her bed as Klaus’s fingers hit a particular spot inside her. Her toes curled against the bed sheets and Caroline kissed him on the lips again. The kiss was bruising, and Klaus’s fingers picked up the pace of thrusting in and out of her. The moans and whimpers grew louder as she climbed higher and higher towards that impossible goal._

_“I do not release a soul once it is in my domain.” Klaus whispered against her ear. “But that does not mean I cannot give you solace in knowing that her soul is safe.” Klaus added a third finger inside of her, grazing that spot just at the top of her opening again. “Let go, Sweetheart. Let go for me.”_

_The climax hit Caroline hard causing her to scream Klaus’s name. Her eyes snapped shut, her back arched and she tossed her head back against the satin pillow. When her high began to settle, Caroline felt Klaus vanish and the air turn into an almost unbearable humid. She opened her eyes to find that she no longer was in bed with Klaus but instead standing in the middle of an abandoned street in New Orleans._

_Not a single person could be seen and not a sound could be heard. A peculiar white fog rolled against the black pavement. Caroline looked down to see that her naked body was clothed with a light blue dress that reached her ankles. Her feet were bare, and she could feel something being placed on her head. She reached up to touch what felt like a crown resting on her golden curls._

_Caroline looked down that street and saw that she suddenly was not alone. A tall figure stood watching her in a tux and for a moment she thought it was Klaus, holding out his hand waiting for her. Yet, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and realized that while the face was familiar, it did not belong to Klaus._

_“Hello Darling.” Kol whispered, his hand outstretched to her. His hair was the same light brown from when she had first met him. A mischievous look lingered in his eyes and the boyish smile told Caroline to be weary of him. “Dance with me.”_

_“There is no music.”_

_“Then we will make our own.” As though she had no real choice, Caroline slipped her hand into his and Kol began to lead her into what she assumed was a waltz. Kol guided her into an elegant performance that she did not realize she was capable of doing. “I suppose I should be thanking you Darling. If it was not for you, I would still be locked in the Abattoir.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“You see a few centuries ago, I found myself in a bit of a situation. My brothers banished me to the underworld, or at least a section of it.” Kol twirled her around the silent street. “Klaus has needed my help more than once in the last few weeks. The first was to ensure that your aunt was delivered to her new eternal resting place.” Bile rose in the back of Caroline’s throat at the thought. “Strange how he put her into a dreamless sleep, no nightmares to plague her anymore.”_

_“What-“_

_“And then there was the mission of your stepfather’s soul. No trace of it could be found. Not in limbo or in some demon’s domain nor lingering in the depths of hellfire.” Kol spun faster then, almost making Caroline dizzy. “It appears that he has found peace. Your father too.” Caroline’s heart sored at the thought that both Stephen and her father were not eternally damned. “I wonder what it is about you that has my brother showing sparks of the humanity we all left behind over six millennia ago. I suppose one day I’ll discover it.” Kol dipped her, Caroline catching a glimpse of the purple sky that hung-over head and Kol brought her to her feet, almost like a whip and suddenly the world spun at an inhuman pace._

Caroline sat up in her bed, her heart pounding and the morning sun shining through the window. She climbed from her bed and pulled the blinds up; only to see a cloudy grey sky hanging over head. The leaves of the trees in her front yard where fading from green to orange and soon would be falling to the ground. Autumn was in full bloom as the September days slowly slipping into October.

She turned away from the window and moved to her nightstand, picking up her phone and checking the time. She had just over two hours before Bonnie was due at her house. She showered and dressed quickly before frantically pacing up and down her living room. She went about the motions of her morning, making breakfast, cleaning and sinking deeper and deeper into her thoughts.

Was it just a dream or something more?

Caroline knew better than to assume that anything having to do with Klaus was just anything. The way his body felt against hers in the dream felt as real as though she was reliving the night she had sex with him all over again in real time. Then the vivid appearance of Kol, a man she met only once for a brief moment, and yet she could recall the details of his person with terrifying accuracy.

If this was more than just a dream, did Kol’s word have truth behind them? Had Stephen and her father actually found peace in the afterlife and was not being tortured in a never-ending loop of their worst nightmares. Caroline did not fully understand what Kol meant by finding peace, but she had a suspicion that even Klaus would not be able to tell her what that meant. She suspected that demons were not creatures who could find peace to move on to something else.

Then what did he say about Cami? A dreamless sleep? A soothing feeling flowed through her and she knew that Klaus had done something to prevent her aunt from living an eternity of torment, just to make her happy. It wasn’t releasing her soul, but she was at least no longer replaying the worst moments of her life in a never-ending loop anymore.

“A dreamless sleep. Better than nightmares. I can attest to that.” Caroline muttered out loud as she was on her knees in the kitchen, elbows deep in yellow rubber cloves and soapy water. She pulled the sponge out of the water and continued to scrub the linoleum flooring of her kitchen. The house was silent, and the only thing Caroline could hear were her own thoughts. She continued to scrub harder but not really seeing the surface that was covered in murky brown water as it picked up the grime from the everyday foot traffic.

Lost in her thoughts of Stephen and Cami, Caroline did not notice how the temperature dropped ever so slowly around her. It wasn’t until her left hand, the one not holding the sponge and the one that was not wearing a glove, grew colder. She looked down and saw that a black shadow was slowly creeping up her arm as though trying to catch her unaware. The scar on her shoulder burned and she leapt backward, shaking her arm as though she was trying to fling the shadow away from her.

“Get off! Get off me!” She screamed, the shadow moving farther and farther up her arm and over her torso, sending freezing chills through her body as though she was being frozen from the inside out. Caroline kicked her legs trying to crawl away from it but ended up kicking the bucket of soapy water in the process. The sloshed across the length of the kitchen while Caroline laid against the linoleum, feeling as though she could not move.

_“It must be removed. Master cannot know of it.”_ The shadows whispered as they weaved their way up her arm and chest. Caroline felt as though she had a thousand pounds pressing down upon her chest and seeping into her soul. When she opened her mouth, a shadow slipped inside and slowly made their way down her throat. Caroline tried to scream out, the pain being unbearable, but she found that her voice was gone. The back of her throat felt hoarse that reminded her of being ill as a child. _“Do it quickly before the boy returns. He will realize he can’t feel her soon. Faster now, it will only hurt for a moment.”_

The searing pain on her shoulder felt like nothing compared to the agony that was weighing her chest down. She felt as though her heart was being ripped out of her chest while the rest of her body was being pinned down against the floor; her limbs frozen and unmovable. Her ice blue eyes were wide as she stared at the ceiling, begging for Klaus to arrive but something in her seemed to be shutting him out. Silence rung in her mind and never before had she missed being able to feel Klaus inside of her.

Just as the pain was growing and the ache in her chest worsening, there was a knock on the door. The sound was soft but real enough that it drew the shadows attention. She felt them freeze inside her, listening for the knock again; waiting for the interloper to leave. However, the knock sounded again and this time it was louder than before. Slowly, Caroline heard her front door open and the hinges creek on the old door.

“Caroline?” Bonnie’s voice sounded from down the hall. Cautious footsteps could be heard walking down the hall and Caroline wanted to call out to her, tell her to run but she could not move. “Are you home? It’s Bonnie.” She heard the front door close and a second pair of footsteps followed, and the clattering of a bag hit the ground. “ _Caroline!_ ” 

Caroline felt the shadows evacuate her body in a second. The ripping of her heart ceased, and Caroline felt what they were trying to take settle back into place. She slumped against the ground, feeling the movement in her limbs slowly return to her. Bonnie’s frantic face appeared in her vision, but it was blurry for a moment. Bonnie reached out and took Caroline into her arms, slowly helping her stand.

“Holy shit. You really are cursed.” Caroline’s head turned towards the archway of her kitchen and saw Bonnie’s friend from the store standing here. His eyes were wide, and his jaw slacked. He was pointing at her. “Did you….that was…..holy fuck this place his haunted. I’m standing in a legit haunted house. Yay me. Not what I signed up for today.”

“Kai. Shut up.” Bonnie snapped and helped Caroline to one of the stools that were pushed into the island. She could feel her heart beating rapidly and the sharp pain in her lunch linger behinds. Bonnie touched her arms, gazing at the “In my bag there is a small bag of wormwood and betony. Make it into a tea.” Kai didn’t move, instead he was still staring at Caroline as though he had seen a ghost. “Now Kai!”

Kai jumped into action and started moving around Caroline’s kitchen. He grabbed the teapot on her stove that was rarely used and put out more for decoration. Caroline was a southern girl; she drank her tea iced cold and rarely warm unless it was the dead of winter. Bonnie ran into Caroline’s living room and grabbed a blanket to wrap around her shoulders and bring some warmth back into her body.

“Thank you.” Caroline told Bonnie and she could hear the crackle in her voice, hurting to even speak. Caroline reached up and touched her throat, remembering the shadows sliding down it in order to remove something from her. “Really. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Bonnie whispered and Caroline could see the fear in her dark brown eyes. She knew that Bonnie had an idea that would help her solve whatever it was that was going on, but she had not signed up for finding Caroline nearly being consumed by haunting shadows that wanted something from her. Kai sat down the hot tea in front of her and she reached out, feeling the warm liquid flow down the back of her throat, soothing it almost instantly. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. No. I don’t know.” Caroline shook her head, drinking her tea as an eerie silence fell over the kitchen. The only time the shadows had touched her was the day of Cami’s funeral. They wrapped around her hand, feeling impossibly cold and as though every inch of her hand was being frozen. She thought on Stephen’s body, wondering if he had felt cold when he died. His body had been bloody, a scene Caroline still saw when she closed her eyes, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the shadows were the reason for that mess. Hayley had been ignoring her, giving no updates on the investigation nor had she heard from Tyler after the brief summary of the funeral she had been banned from. “What was it that you said might help me?”

“A very bad idea. Her idea is very bad. I once tried to convince my siblings Luke and Liv to make a blood pack with me, and that was a better idea than this.” Kai muttered before Bonnie could respond. She turned to look at the man she had not even shared a few words with since he entered her house and glared. Bonnie turned to him with narrowed eyes and a shake of her head. “You cannot be serious! Look at her. She looks like Beetlejuice’s name was said three time and he came to suck out her soul.”

“Um…. have you even seen Beetlejuice? And you were what? Ten? The three of you couldn’t have pulled off a blood pack if you tried.”

“Not the point Bonnie.” Kai rolled his eyes and gave an overly dramatic sigh. “The point is that this is a very bad idea. You do not even know if it would work, if you’re strong enough to do this, even if I do act as an anchor. Or worse, you are strong enough and something goes really wrong. What if she gets stuck there or by the looks of her, just drops dead because at the moment, she looks like she might!”

“Or maybe someone can tell me what this plan is, and I can decide for myself.” Caroline chimed in and both Bonnie and Kai turned to look at her; momentarily forgetting that she was there. Kai’s eyes shot between them and Caroline could tell that Kai was very much against whatever Bonnie’s plan was. “Look, I was literally just attacked by black shadows in my own home. I want to figure out what the hell is going on and how to make is stop.”

“Okay.” Bonnie whispered and Kai groaned; neither woman paying him any attention. “So, I don’t know everything about the coven my mom used to belong to. Just the bits and pieces she told me towards the end of her life. She talked a lot about your mom and my grams which is how I know about the ritual.” Bonnie paused, collecting her thoughts before pressing on. “I found myself wishing, not for the first time, that I could speak to my mother again. Ask all the questions about our life in New Orleans before moving to Richmond, and that is how I got the idea.”

“What idea?”

“A séance, well kind of.”

“A séance? Seriously? You can do that? That’s not just some slumber party game teenage girls play in high school?”

“What you’re thinking of is nothing more than a parlor trick and something used to con people out of their money. A real séance is difficult and not something to do lightly. It has little to do with summoning the dead and more of sending your conscious somewhere.” Caroline looked at Bonnie with confusion, not understanding what she meant. “It’s like a video call while sleeping. Your subconscious will go to the astral plane, where the person’s soul you wish to speak to is. You won’t have long but maybe enough to get the answers you seek. Maybe your aunt can be the one to tell you.”

“Talk to Aunt Cami?” Bonnie nodded and Caroline felt her heart begin to beat faster. Was that possible? She had never thought of speaking to the dead but then she had not thought magic and demons were real until she encountered it firsthand. The thought of talking to Cami one last time, being able to say goodbye and find some closure was far too tempting to pass up. In the back of her mind, she wondered if Cami was in a dreamless sleep, if she would even be able to speak to her but decided that she had to try. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

“You don’t know the risks Caroline. This isn’t some parlor trick. I don’t even know if I can send you to Cami. You would be crossing into the domain of the dead and there is no promise that I can pull you back from that.” Bonnie told her and it made Caroline realize that she could very well die in the process. Her mind wondered to Klaus and thought on what his reaction would be to learn that she had died in an attempt to speak with Cami. Despite the recent acts she assumed he thought was out of kindness, Caroline still found herself angry with him; despite knowing Stephen’s fate.

“I don’t care. What do you need?”

“Something of Cami’s. It will work as a talisman of sorts that will connect your conscious to her soul. Do you have something you can use? A picture or jewelry or something?” Caroline thought to the trunk of Cami’s occult items in her room and she was sure she could find something in there that would be useful. She nodded to Bonnie, ignoring Kai’s groan of annoyance and despair. “Okay, go grab it and we will need room so Kai and I will get everything set up in the living room.”

“Just what I wanted to do today, attempted homicide.” Kai muttered as Caroline got off the stool to head towards her stairway, listening to the beginning of a fight between Bonnie and Kai as she went. Caroline did not know them well, but she could tell that their arguments were something that happened often. She ran up the stairs and into her bedroom knelt down in front of the trunk, opening it to see the items inside that she barely touched.

She sorted through the knives, crystals and books, not finding anything she would have deemed personal enough. Caroline was unsure how attached Cami would have been to the crystals inside and the books, while having her handwriting in the margins, Caroline did not think that they held any person value to her aunt. The sun shone through the window and a glimmer of light caught Caroline’s eye.

On a hook on the lid hung a silver necklace, the pendant showing what looked like a pentagram on it. Caroline reached out and took the necklace off the hook to admire it. The cool chain resting in her palm sent a numbing feeling through her. The pendant was simple and almost unremarkable but there was a quiet beauty about it. Something Caroline would have overlooked had someone been wearing it around their neck but upon close inspection, the detailing of the pentagram was intricate and almost devastating.

It reminded Caroline of the burn mark on the back of the hotel room door in Georgia. From what she could remember, the markings were similar but completely different at the same time. They almost resembled the strange designs she had seen on the wooden bedframe on the night she had sex with Klaus. It occurred to her that those symbols were all over the Abattoir.

Feeling that this necklace was the perfect item, Caroline closed the lid and made her way back down the stairs. When she entered the living room, she found that Kai and Bonnie had moved her coffee table to the other side of the room and that they had drawn a pentagram on the floor in chalk. The obsessive neat freak in her wondered how long it would take her to scrub it from the floor but refrained from speaking on it.

Bonnie placed some candles around the room, blowing on each of them until they lit themselves. Caroline almost stumbled backwards at the sight. It was one thing to hear about the practice of magic, but it was an entirely different thing to see it used right in front of her. Perhaps it was the sigh of both Bonnie lighting the candles without match that stirred an uneasy feeling in her but deep down she knew it was something else.

It was the confirmation that everything she had seen surrounding Klaus was not a hallucination. Everything that had happened that terrifying night in Georgia and even the shadows hit her with startling confirmation. Klaus really was a demon who liked to speak to her through mirrors and dimpled laughter in the back of her mind. Everything was real and there was a chance that in a few moments, Caroline was going to speak to her aunt again; her very dead aunt.

The dead aunt that Klaus seems to have ended her everlasting torment.

_For her._

“Did you find something?” Bonnie’s voice pulled Caroline from her musings. Caroline nodded and held up the necklace. Bonnie took it in hand and gazed down upon it. A soft smile formed on her lips and her thumb traced the pentagram almost in an almost affectionate manner. “My mother used to have one identical to his one. Here, put it on.” Caroline moved her blonde hair to the side and turned around. Bonnie placed the necklace around her neck and clasped it shut. “Perfect. This should help you connect with Cami.”

“What do I need to do?”

“First drink this but just a few sips. Drinking too much will put you into a deep sleep and well, we want to be able to wake you. Forewarning, it will taste awful.” Bonnie handed Caroline one of her own mugs that had been resting on an end table and she could see that it was steaming. Bonnie must have brewed it while Caroline had grabbed the necklace. Caroline took a sip of the tea and the bitter taste touched her tongue. She scrunched up her nose in disgust before taking another sip. “Okay, that should be enough. Like I said, I want to be able to pull you from this.”

“Right. Now what?” Caroline asked as she looked around the room, almost waiting for Cami to appear out of thin air. Her arms began to feel heavy and the room became slightly hazy. Bonnie came around and wrapped her arms around Caroline, guiding her to the center of the pentagram. “What’s happening? I feel funny.”

“That is the tea. It is taking effect. Lie down and Kai and I will do the rest.” Caroline laid down on the ground as Bonnie brought a pillow to rest under her head. She could see the flicker of the candles beside and there was something on the far wall, dancing to flames as though music came from the dim lighting. If Caroline had the strength, she would try and focus on what they were whispering but the words seemed jumbled, but their tone was clear. They were angry, hissing at their failed attempts at consuming her. “Relax Caroline. Take a deep breath and let your eyes droop. Go to sleep.”

_“Dormi.”_ Both Bonnie’s and Kai’s voices sounded in her ear. “ _Somnum. Cum autem excitare mortous es salutabits.”_ Caroline’s eyes slowly fluttered shut and the room felt as though it was spinning. The scent of the lit candles slowly began to fade away into nothing, but the room began to spin faster and faster. _“Et responsa petis, dare possint et mortuorm.”_ Bonnie and Kai’s voices were slipping away. They were growing fainter with syllable. _“In domain mortuorum slautat vos.”_

Silence fell over Caroline’s hearing and her eyes fluttered open. Everything was bright, almost too bright. Caroline recognized her own ceiling and she turned her head to notice that her living room was empty. Slowly, she pushed herself from the wood floor and gazed around. She walked towards one of the windows and it was so bright outside that she could not make out the yard or what she assumed would be there. It was cold and instead of warmth, the light only made Caroline feel as though she was going to freeze if she touched it.

She moved away from the window and spun slowly, taking in her surroundings. It was her house but not at the same time. It felt like an echo of it. In imprint made somewhere else to mimic her home. Everything she owned was gone and replaced by an almost inhumane light. Caroline knew that she was not standing her living room. On the wall that once held her television was replaced by wooden frame with a very old painting inside. Caroline walked towards it, gazing at the artwork; knowing that she had seen it before.

The painting was of a woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes and curious smile on her lips. If Caroline blinked, ever so slowly the painting moved. It was not a fast movement like that of a show on the television but one that was haunting slow. The woman in the painting would move and then freeze; only for a moment later move again. Eventually, her hand made it to her lips, holding up one finger and pressing to her lips, telling Caroline to remain quiet.

But what was the woman in the painting telling her to be quiet about?

“She was always your favorite story. You would beg for it time and time again when you little.” Caroline froze, almost afraid to turn around when someone spoke to her. Tears sparked in her eyes, falling down her cheeks rapidly. “You called her the princess in the painting. You begged and begged me to tell you her story. Strange, I never saw her in person.” Caroline was frozen on the spot. She knew that voice, dreamed of it ever since that night in Georgia. It was not Cami who was standing behind her. “Honey, won’t you turn around too look at me?”

As though on command, Caroline slowly turned around to face the woman behind her. The woman was dressed in a lone white lace gown, the same gown Caroline had last seen her in, and her blonde hair was braided behind her. Her face was ageless, appearing to be around the same age as Caroline. Her light blue eyes were gentle and appeared as emotional as Caroline felt.

“Mommy?”

“Oh Honey, come here.” Liz held out her arms and Caroline could not help but run into them. She wrapped her arms around her mother and held her tightly. She inhaled deeply, trying to smell her mother’s perfume; clinging to any memory she had of Liz before she was murdered. Tears flowed down her cheeks, thinking that she would never be able to have this moment again. She had thought that her mother was lost to her forever and that hearing her voice again would only be a daydream. “Shhh. It is okay. I’m here now.”

“We were trying to speak to Cami, how are you here?” Caroline pulled away in order to look at her mother, wanting to take in every ounce of Liz’s face because Caroline knew that her time with her mother was going to be short. She was torn between savoring this moment, knowing it was the only one she would have with Liz or finding out the information she needed.

“Cami? I don’t understand. Why would you be searching for Cami? Unless she….oh.” It took a moment, but realization dawned on Liz that her little sister had died. “I have not seen her here. I would have thought that…never mind. You trying to reach Cami for something? But got me instead?”

“How?”

“This.” Liz reached out and touched the necklace that was around Caroline’s neck. She turned the pendant over and in a faint carving was the letters _EJO._ Elizabeth Jane O’Connell. “This was mine. Granted Cami had one just like it but this one belonged to me. Our grandfather gave them to us when we each turned sixteen. I had always wanted you to have it. Did Cami give it to you before she passed?”

“No.” Caroline whispered, shaking her head. She reached up and took Liz’s hand into hers, wanting to feel as much contact with her mother as possible. “No. I was going through Cami’s things after she died, and I found it. I thought it was hers. Bonnie and I were trying to contact her on the other side in hopes of getting information about what going on.”

“Bonnie? Bonnie Bennett? Abby’s daughter? You’re friends with Abby’s daughter.” The smile that spread across Liz’s face at the thought. “I always wondered what you would be like. Seeing you now, grown and so beautiful makes everything I’ve done seem so worth it. I love you so much and to see how well Cami raised you, it makes me so happy. Look at you. Practicing magic, just like I always wanted.”

“Cami. Right.” Caroline’s smile faltered ever so slightly. Caroline realized that her mother assumed that her aunt had raised her and that she was a practicing wiccan. She was unsure if she wanted to tell her the truth. That until a few weeks ago, Caroline had never really believed in magic and that she had been raised by her father, not her aunt. She debated for less than a second and realized that she did not want to disappoint her mother in the only moments she had with her. “Bonnie and I were doing a spell, hoping to reach Cami but maybe you can help?”

“Anything. What are you seeking?”

“The Shadows. They have been coming around.” Liz reached out and took Caroline’s hand into hers again, giving them a gentle squeeze. “I saw them all the time as a child, but they went away when I was a teenager. I stopped seeing them and now they are back. They are harsher than I remembered.” Tears welled up into Caroline’s eyes and she looked down at their hands. “Someone I loved very was murdered by them or at least they were involved. I don’t understand what is happening or what they want.”

“Shh. Honey, it is okay.” Liz pulled Caroline into her arms again and she could not help but wrap her arms around her. Caroline had a few memories surface in her mind a small child and how her mother would rock her when she was sad or upset. “The shadows are there to protect you. They are your guardians to ensure you do not stray from the path set out before you. Whomever it was, most likely was getting in the way or was planning on doing something that would keep you from Him.”

“Him? Whose him?”

“Surely Cami explained all this to you? About the shadows? About Him?” Liz asked and Caroline shook her head. “No? Oh. Well, I suppose she didn’t want to scare you. It was not easy being chosen. I always knew that I would never get to see you grow and become the beautiful woman I knew you would be. When the Shadows chose you, I rejoiced because it would mean that we would be together in His domain one day. I suppose the time is coming soon and we will be together. Just like I promised.”

“You mean. The ritual?”

“Yes. Of course, I do. What else would I mean?”

Caroline’s stomach plummeted. Her mother knew that she was going to die that night. In the many years since Liz’s death, Caroline always assumed that her mother was a victim of a heinous crime and never once considered that she would have been a willing participant. She did not know how to process it or what to say other than the fact that she felt as though a giant bucket of ice water had been dumped over her; a cold feeling stirring in the pit of her stomach.

“I didn’t realize you knew about it…before it happened.” Caroline whispered and Liz gave her a confused look. Liz reached out and touched her daughter’s face, gently tracing her cheekbones and Caroline pressed into her hand, taking in her scent again. “I thought you wanted to stay with me, but you chose to leave? You chose to die?”

“No. Honey, no. I wanted so badly to stay with you. I considered trying to find a way out of it, but the Shadows chose me. Just like they chose you. We were baptized for this. We were baptized in His name and there is always a chance that the we would be chosen for this. We are a gift to Him. A show of devotion. It’s a blessing.”

“A blessing?”

“Surely your children have been baptized right?”

“I don’t have children.” Caroline replied in a monotone voice and Liz’s eyes widened. “I’m only twenty-four. I’m not ready to have children yet. In a few years maybe but not now.” Caroline couldn’t help but see how Liz’s shoulder’s sagged, almost as though she was disappointed at the news that she did not have grandchildren. “I had always intended to one day have them but I’m still so young.”

“Did Cami?” Caroline shook her head, remembering how Cami had once said a long time ago that she had no plans on ever having children, always looking at Caroline as the closets person she had to a daughter. “Well, the end of the O’Connell line then. I suppose that it would have happened eventually. Especially with you being chosen as the gift.”

“End! What do you mean end of the family line? I’m only twenty-four! I have many years ahead of me! I can have children down the line. Right?” Panic began to swell in her chest at the implications. “No no no no. I don’t want to die. Mommy I don’t want to die. I’m not ready to die. Please. There has to be some other way. I’m scared. Please. I’m not ready to die. I want to live. I want a full life. I want to fall in love and have children. I want to travel and become a journalist. I have plans!”

“Honey. Come here.” Liz brought her crying daughter into her arms and rocked her again. “I know this is scary. I’m so sorry that Cami didn’t prepare you. I thought she would have, just like I was. I thought she would have told you everything you needed to know. Well, there is not time for that now. Just know that when you cross over, I’ll be here to greet you. His domain will be our home.”

“But, I thought demons made you relive your worst moments over and over….I don’t understand.”

“No. It’s not like that. Not for us! We never sold our souls. We gave them as gifts. Freely and willingly, expecting nothing in return. He keeps them safe. We belong to him. The ones that the Shadows choose for him-“Suddenly the air went still and dark, almost as though an eclipse faded over the sun, plunging them into darkness. Liz looked around her, her blue eyes shined brightly and her grew widened. “He has come. He knows you’re here in his domain, but it is too soon. The ritual hasn’t been completed. The ground hasn’t been consecrated yet.”

Liz froze and the excitement on her face turned to one of fear. Slowly, her face turned from the beautiful rosy tone it held to a sickly grey. Cracks appeared on her body and Caroline could hear the cracks in her skin as though it was stone breaking apart. Liz let out a strangled cry from deep in her throat and the sound pierced through the hair. Caroline reached out for her mom, trying to pull her towards her, hoping to stop the pain, but when she did, Liz’s hand crumbled into dust.

“Mommy! No no. I’m sorry. Come back. Mommy!” Caroline cried out, trying to gather the dust that was hitting the ground. The room grew colder and darker, a terrifying hiss echoed in the room as Caroline watched the entirety of her mother’s body crumble into dust. Caroline let out a cry of pain mixed with fear at the sight.

_“Caroline.”_ Bonnie’s voice sounded in her head, panic ringing through every ounce of her. Something moved in the darkness. It wasn’t the shadows. It was bigger, scarier and in the corner, a pair of bright red eyes blinked at her. The creature started crawling towards her in and unnatural manner. Caroline’s heartbeat picked up and she tumbled backwards, her eyes never leaving the creature in front of her. _“Come on Caroline! Wake up! Please! Wake up!”_

Caroline’s eyes snapped open and she was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. However, the darkness prevailed but everything had sharper edges. Her furniture was returned to its place and the smell of a burning flame reached her nostrils along with a heavy scent of sulfur. Caroline turned her head just in time to see both Bonnie and Kai’s terrified faces. They were not gazing at her, but at something else.

Something on the other side of the room.

“We need to go. We need to go _now._ ” Kai’s strangled voice came out. Quickly, he turned and picked up Bonnie who reached for Caroline. Despite her protests, Kai tossed Bonnie over his shoulder and quickly made his way towards Caroline’s front door. Bonnie struggled and demanded to be put down, but Kai did not hear her.

“Let me go! Caroline!” Bonnie’s screams could be heard as Kai slammed the door behind him. Caroline’s gaze whipped around to see dozens upon dozens of shadows dancing across her living room wall. They twirled and moved as they were dancing. Some formed more human like forms with dark red eyes, blinking at her. She could hear their laughter echoing into the darkened sky; a sky that should still be bright with the early afternoon sun.

Yet, it wasn’t the shadows that drew Caroline’s attention. In the corner the same eyes that glared at her in her unconsciousness, had followed her to the waking world. She sucked in a breath and slowly tried to crawl away. As she moved, the thing in the corner followed. It stepped out from the darkened corner and the small amount of light that the candle flames gave off revealed a human like creature crawling on the ground.

The skin of the creature was chard as though it had been burned badly. Its hands were like furless paws with claws on the ends. Its head was on backwards and its neck appeared broken at an unnatural angel. The eyes were appeared to be made of black stone and the pupils of hellfire red. One of the paws reached out and slammed it down on the floor, leaving a dent behind. Caroline tried to back away, her eyes never leaving its, but when she moved, it moved.

_“Master knows.”_ Its voice was nothing more than a whisper. Suddenly a high pitched screeched filled the room, almost like deafening silence that made Caroline’s ear drums hurt. The unearths tone made Caroline’s insides freeze. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and upon survival instinct, Caroline tried to back away from the creature as quickly as possible. _“The mark must be removed. The gift must be preserved. Master knows. Master is angry.”_

“Stay away from me!” Caroline screamed as she continued to crawl backwards, terrified that if she looked away from those red eyes, it would pounce on her and attack. Her back it the wall of her entrance way, just at the base of her stairs and the creature continued to advance on her. The creature cocked its head at her as though it was considering something. “Leave me alone you freak. Get away from me!”

_“Honey. Come here. It’s okay.”_ The voice changed, mimicking the one Caroline had heard only moments before. The voice of her mother left the lips of the creature, but Caroline knew that this was not her mother. There was nothing resembling the woman she had just spoke with. This was the thing of nightmares. _“Everything will be okay. Come to mommy.”_

“You’re not my mother!” Caroline screamed at it and it let out a growl like a dog who was baring its teeth. It crouched and Caroline braced herself for it to pounce but then something else caught its attention. Several footsteps came racing down her stairs and Caroline felt relief to see Klaus glaring at the creature who was crouched in front of her.

Behind him were two other people, one familiar and one unknown. Caroline recognized Elijah but there was something different about him from her memory. He held himself taller and more ridged. He was dressed in a black dress suit that appeared more suited for the boardroom than in the scene of a traumatic dream. As he moved around Klaus, she could see that he had more elegance than the night he had delivered her to that hotel room. Elijah whipped opened her front door and Caroline saw nothing but darkness outside of it. In a gush of black smoke, a knife appeared in Elijah’s hand and he began carving something into her door.

The other person behind Klaus was a woman with long blond hair and sage green eyes. Her blond hair was braided at the top of her head with strange flowers weaved into it and the rest flowed down her back. She wore a short tight red dress and black heels that made her appear taller than the men by her side. She was by far the most beautiful woman Caroline had ever seen. The woman moved in an unhuman manner, both quickly and then slowly. As though she was on the stairs one moment and then kneeling before Caroline in another.

“You foolish child.” The voice was seductive and despite the scolding tone, Caroline could not help the desire to reach out and touch her. She wanted to run her fingers over the woman’s perfect and loose herself in her embrace. Caroline almost felt hypnotized by the green eyes that held such contempt for her. “Messing with magic you do not understand.”

“Rebekah.” Klaus’s voice hissed coldly. “The markings. Now.”

“This was your deal Nik. Not mine.” The woman, Rebekah, stood from her bowed position and continued to glare down at Caroline as though she mortally offended her. Rebekah turned and moved in a seductive manner down the hall towards the kitchen that held Caroline’s back door. Rebekah looked over her shoulder again at Caroline, giving her a disgusted look and Caroline wanted nothing more than to follow her.

_“Respice ad me.”_ A dark voice sounded from beside Caroline, causing her attention to divert from Rebekah, who was now out of sight. Klaus’s posture was ridged and angry. He was glaring at the thing on the floor, that was now hutched over as though it was terrified. Klaus moved towards the creature; each step more purposeful than the next. Klaus held out his hand and black smoke surrounded it producing a blade the gleamed just a bit too much.

_“Master! Help me! Master!”_ The creature screamed in fear, the burned body shaking that made it appear as if it was vibrating. The shadows on the wall scurried away, their whispers appearing frantic as the fled from the walls. Klaus paid them no mind but focused on the creature that was on the floor. He knelt before it and gripped the broken neck before raising the blade high in the air. _“It’s the bastard! Help me!”_

Klaus plunged the blade into the head of creature causing it to let out a high-pitched wail that shattered the windows around her. Glass flew everywhere and Caroline held up her arms to protect her head from the shards that threatened to cut her skin. Peeking out from under her arms, Caroline watched as the creature disintegrated into nothing more than dust and bones before her eyes.

“Elijah, finish the marks and then go with Rebekah back to the Abattoir. I’ll meet you there in time.” Klaus stood from the pile of dust and vanished his blade. He made his way towards Caroline, reaching down to pull her into his arms. Caroline went willingly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She buried her face into his neck, the tears flowing down her cheeks. She gripped the fabric of his Henley with one hand with the other held tightly onto his necklace. “Shh, I have you Sweetheart.”

They passed Elijah who was still focusing on the door and Caroline could smell the stench of burning wood as Klaus made his way up the stairs. Caroline looked over his shoulder and watched through tear stained eyes as Elijah carved bright red words into the wood; words in a language that Caroline did not understand. She did not look away until they reached the top of the stairs and Elijah was no longer in sight. Klaus carried Caroline into her bedroom, laying her down upon her bed. He sat down beside her and pushed a strained of her blonde hair from her eyes.

The light outside her window started to shift and the sun began appearing again. The darkness faded and the sound birds could be heard chirping outside her window. Whatever it was that had descended upon her home was slowly fading away, but all Caroline could see was the worried look upon Klaus’s face.

“I couldn’t feel you.” He whispered and she could hear the angry tone behind his words. “Your emotions vanished and all I could feel in the back of my mind was cold; replaced with nothing more than a void where you once were. I knew something was wrong.” His eyes trailed down to the pendant that still rested against her chest. He reached out and pulled it from her neck, tossing it across the room. “Do you understand what you’ve done? That spell? What did you do? Answer me!”

“Klaus. I don’t want to die.” Caroline’s voice filled with pain and tears. The pain in Caroline’s chest intensified and she began to sob into the pillow. She knew that he was angry at her but all she could focus on was the few moments with her mother. Moments that made no sense. Klaus reached out and pulled her into his arms again, but she could feel how stiff his body was as he held her. “I spoke to my mom.” Caroline sobbed into his chest. “I spoke to my mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I know this chapter is bit of a doozy and heavy on the horror......but it is one of my favorites thus far!


	11. Consequences of Deviltry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just remember all the smutty prompts I gave you yesterday!

The house was impossibly clean. It shouldn’t have been. There should be shards of glass littering the floor from the windows that had been shattered in her living room. There should be a breeze from the outside wind blowing into the house from the broken windows. There should be candles lingering on the ground and chalk markings staining the wood floor. Yet, there was nothing out of place.

No glass littered on the ground and her windows were perfectly in place. There was no chalk on the floor and not a single candle in sight. Caroline looked around her house, her bare feet touching the floor as she wandered the first floor. It looked as though she had spent the last few days going in a cleaning frenzy in order to make everything perfect. And yet, Caroline knew that she had not. She knew that she had not lifted a finger to clean up the mess that had been left behind the night before.

Equal parts of confusion and understanding reached her. She knew that she did not clean this house but seeing that Klaus held her well into the night, the footsteps of the people, _demons,_ he brought with him could be heard, she could only conclude that they were responsible for the remarkable clean up. It even passed Caroline’s neurotic inspection for not a single thing was out of place. What confused her was to why they cleaned her house. She knew that they probably were just covering their tracks but by the prickle of concern in the back of her mind, part of her wondered if it was due to actual concern for her wellbeing.

“Do you actually care about me? Or is this part of the deal you made with my aunt?” Caroline asked aloud to the empty living room. No answer came forth, but she could feel what almost what felt like contempt in the back of her mind. She realized that she had been shut off from Klaus’s emotions yesterday for a short while and feeling him now only made her wondered why it had taken her so long to notice. Klaus had become this buzzing in the back of her mind and one that she had grown used to. She knew when he was pleased about something and even felt those moments of pure delight when she reflected on the night, he marked her. She could feel his own arousal matching hers as she dwelled on the memory before pushing it aside to his amusement. Then there were the times when he was angry, an emotion Caroline could feel flickering just beneath the surface.

Klaus was very _very_ angry and at her.

“Seriously!? You’re mad!” Caroline cried out; her arms spread out in frustration as she all but screamed to the empty house. “You’re mad at me when you won’t tell me anything! Was what I did last night stupid?! Yes. Probably! I don’t fucking know because you won’t actually talk to me! And sex dreams don’t count! Nor is sending your creepy ass brother to dance with me in my dreams to relay some message that your too much of a damn coward to tell me yourself!” Caroline crossed her arms and dug her nails into the side of her arms. She took a deep breath and exhaled. “What do you want me to do? Sit around and continue to let these things haunt me? Let myself be used for some terrifying sacrifice?! I need answers.”

The silence she heard was deafening. Klaus was still there, under her skin but it was as though he put himself on mute. He was angry with her and she was confused as to why. Yes, letting Bonnie do the spell the night before probably was not the best idea, especially when she did not understand the mechanics of it. In her own defense, Caroline felt as though she was losing her mind. She needed to know why this was happening to her.

“The silent treatment. Real great. Thanks for that.” Caroline muttered and made her way back upstairs and into her bedroom. She looked around it and honestly did not know what to do. A stream of sunlight came through the window and the necklace from the night before glistened in the corner. Caroline walked over to the corner and bent down, picking the necklace from the floor.

Her mother’s necklace.

Caroline gazed down at the simple pendant now cradled in her hand, studying it as though she was holding it for the first time. It was a pentagram, that much she knew, but there was something different about it compared to pentagram on the back of the Georgia hotel room. Looking at that necklace, she felt something prickle in the back of her mind. It was the feeling of simmering rage and displeasure at the sight of the necklace. Memories of Klaus all but tearing it from her neck and tossing it across the room came to mind. Caroline did not want to read too much into it but there was a hint of lingering fear in the back of her mind when looking at this necklace; and something that almost felt like jealousy.

“Now you want to let me know how you’re feeling. You’re jealous? Of What?” Caroline muttered as she hung up the necklace on her vanity mirror. She looked at herself in the mirror, but it was only her own reflection staring back at her. She waited for Klaus to appear, but she could already tell that he would not be waiting for her on the other side. “Silent treatment again. Awesome.”

Crossing her arms and with a shake of her head, Caroline turned away from the mirror, even though she could feel Klaus’s eyes on her. She knew that it was Klaus and not some nightmare creature from the night before. The memory of the monster that appeared to be more of a deformed animal than that of a human, made the fear she had felt last night all the more real. She could not help but look out of the corner of her eyes, waiting for something to be there that would jump out at her.

She could not help but relive the night before. Her heart began pounding in her chest. It suddenly felt as though everything was moving and the world around her seemed hazy. Her breathing picked up and she ran her hand through her hair. She started turning in a circle, searching for the creature from the night before. She was waiting for it to pounce on her; for the shadows to try and consume her again. Caroline could still feel the bitter cold that consumed her when they touched her. She could still feel the rawness of her throat when they were sliding down it and how they tried to tear something from her chest as though they were stealing her own soul. 

_“We gave them as gifts. Freely and willingly, expecting nothing in return. He keeps them safe. We belong to him.”_ Liz’s voice echoed in her ears. Louder and louder the voice grew, and Caroline brought her hands to her ears, trying to block the sound of her mother’s voice from her head. She once would have given anything to hear her speak but now, Caroline was not sure how she felt anymore.

Tears swelled in her eyes and began to leak out of her eyes. She sucked in a breath, her throat burning as the air touched it and let out a wail. Her knees crumbled to the ground and she laid down on her side; curing herself into a ball. She cried harder and harder as she replayed the conversation with Liz over and over again. The knowledge that Liz was not only murdered, but wen to her death voluntarily ate at Caroline. Everything she had thought she had known was crumbling down around her. Her entire existence was turning into a nightmare and Caroline had a feeling that she was bound to meet the same fate as her mother.

The only difference was that she was not going to go willingly.

When she calmed down and the tears had dried, Caroline rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. She waited for the shadows to start dancing across it, but everything was still. Nothing was out of place and Caroline did not feel them. She was alone and she wondered if she had every truly been alone or if the shadows had always been there, lurking in the corner; waiting for the right time to come out and play. Caroline wondered if perhaps she had grown so used to their presence that feeling them appeared to be ordinary.

A rush of calm soothed her body and she realized that it was not her own emotions at work. It was becoming easier and easier to decipher her own feelings from Klaus’s. She could tell that he was trying to calm her down but there was still the prickle of his anger that lingered behind it. Klaus was still furious and giving her the silent treatment but that did not mean that he wanted to see her distraught.

The mixed signals that he was sending off only sent a wave of fury through her, this time it was her own anger coming to the surface. Caroline quickly sat up and glared toward the vanity, knowing that he would not be there. She looked at her frightful appearance and saw the blotchy red eyes and messy hair. In a moment of frustration and not being able to physically yell at Klaus because he was refusing to show himself, Caroline did the only thing she could think of.

She gave the vanity mirror the middle finger.

The unearthly chuckle that sounded around her only made her more irritated. Her intent was not to amuse him but show him that he was being childish. For a demon who was older than dirt itself, he sure knew how to act like a toddler. Klaus could clearly hear what it was that she was thinking, or at least assume the train of thought her mind was going down, but _enjoyment_ was being mixed with the anger she could feel from him. The idea that Klaus enjoyed seeing Caroline angry baffled her and his emotions of jealousy and enjoyment were the last things she wanted to focus on.

Caroline walked over to her bedside table and grabbed her phone that she knew she had not plugged in the night before. Not willing to dwell on the concept of Klaus’s kindness, not in regard to her phone or placing Cami into an eternal sleep or to searching for Stephen’s soul, Caroline just pretended that her phone had been on the bedside table all along. She scrolled through to see no messages or phone calls had been made. Taking a deep breath, she dialed Bonnie’s number.

It rang three times before clicking to her voicemail.

“Hey Bonnie, its Caroline. Give me a call. I just want to see if you’re alright.” Caroline hung up the phone and bit her lip. She shook her head and looked at the time on her phone. Almost noon on a Monday. She knew Elena would be at the elementary school and most likely would have her phone on silent. If she didn’t, she knew that it would be unlikely that her friend would be able to pick up the phone.

_[Caroline: 12:02 pm] Hey, call me when you have a second._

The moment she hit send on the message, what sounded like a siren on a car rushed by. Only seconds later, a second siren rushed past her house. Caroline ran over to the window and saw police car after police car speed by, followed by an ambulance. During the summers Caroline spent in New Orleans, this was not an uncommon occurrence but in the small town of Mystic Falls, hearing sirens only meant something seriously bad happened to someone she knew.

Caroline quickly dressed, throwing on a pair of jeans and an oversize sweater, before pulling her feet into a pair of boots. She grabbed her phone, keys and wallet and all but ran down the stairs. As she opened her front door and paused turning to glance at it. The door was the same as it had always been, but she noticed that the white paint on it seemed brand new. Gone were the scruff marks and the peeling paint that had been there the day before. She moved to close it, still eyeing it wearily, and as the sunlight hit the door just at the right moment, Caroline could see that something was carved onto the door.

A pentagram had been carved onto the door and then covered up with fresh paint. She stared at it for a moment, trying to make out the letters written inside of the pentagram, but the paint made it difficult to see. She remembered watching Elijah carve something into the door the night before and suddenly the feel of a bucket of cold ice being dumped onto her entered her mind.

“ _That is not your mother out there. It’s just mimicking her voice to get you to open the door. We locked it out and it is desperate to get to you. If you open that door Caroline, you won’t be liking what is going to happen.”_ Whatever had been banging on her hotel door that night in Georgia, Caroline was willing to bet was the thing that crawled on its hands and feet with a broken neck was the same thing that tried to get to her that night. Klaus said they had locked it out, and she remembered Klaus calling to Elijah to fix it. Whatever Elijah had done to her hotel door, she was beginning to wonder if he had done the same to her home. 

“Holy fucking shit. Elijah is a demon.” The obvious realization hit her hard and she wondered why she had not thought of it before. The memories of the night he had driven her to the hotel mixed with the ones where it was Detective de Martel sprang to mind. She remembered how Elijah walked in a strange manner and appeared awkward as though he could not get his bearings; almost as though his body was not his own. “Shit, shit, shit.” 

Unable to fully process the concept that she had now met three demons, four is she dwelled on the beautiful woman Klaus brought with him last night, Caroline stepped out into the sunlight, closing the door behind her. The moment the door was shut tight, Caroline felt as though the air around her had gone still. She could hear the excited whispers all around her; whispers as though _something_ had been accomplished. The stark contrast from the silence of inside the house to stepping into the daylight was massive.

It was almost as though the shadows or whatever it was that Caroline could hear laughing in the air was happy. The pure sound of a laughter so dark and evil made Caroline’s blood run cold. Something was wrong and the passing sound of another siren only told Caroline that her instincts were right.

She climbed into her car and pulled out of her driveway, following the sound of the sirens. Mystic Falls was a small town and it did not take Caroline long to find the destination of the police cars and ambulances. It was three streets over and outside a small yellow house that had a daisy bush out front. There was a white picket fence that appeared to be freshly painted and a lawn that had just been mowed. If it was not for the police tape and the crowed surrounding the house, Caroline would have assumed nothing bad could have happened there.

She parked her car and got out, looking around while she weaved through the crowd. Police were in and out of the house, many coming out looking as though they were about to be ill. In the middle of the street, speaking to the police was Elena. She appeared shaken and terrified; her arms wrapped around herself as though she was keeping herself from falling apart.

“Elena!” Caroline cried out and her friend’s head snapped towards her. The police asked another question before allowing her to rejoin the crowed. Not caring about the police tap or the office who was trying to hold the crowd back, Caroline skipped under the tap and quickly made her way into the middle of the street where Elena was standing. “Hey, what happened?”

“Matt didn’t show up for the demonstration this morning.” Elena sobbed as Caroline pulled her into a hug, burying her face into her shoulder. “I called him over and over again, but he just wasn’t answering. April’s phone was off, and I called into the station. They said that Matt was to be at the school, and no one expected to see him. So, I left. I asked Dana to watch my class while I stepped out.”

“What are you saying?”

“It was awful. There was blood everywhere.” Elena’s legs all but gave out and Caroline caught her. She thought back to seeing Stephen’s body lying in the middle of his apartment and knew the shock and pain that Elena was feeling. “I can’t just stop seeing their bodies, just lying there. Not moving.” The sound of screeching tires reached them, and Caroline peeked her head up to see Damon’s Camaro come to a halt. Damon rushed out of the car and slammed his door quickly. “Why can’t I stop seeing them?”

“Elena!” Damon called and was running towards them, Stefan following not too far behind them. Elena turned to see her husband and easily went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She began to sob harder and harder into his chest. He kissed the top of her head and Caroline could almost see the relief on his face, almost as though he was expecting to find the worst when he pulled up to the house. “What happened?”

“Matt and April are dead. Murdered by the sounds of it.” Caroline told him, her voice hollow. Elena couldn’t describe the scene aloud, having never seen just violence but Caroline did not need the description spelled out for her. She had seen more than enough bloodshed to know what it looked like. It was something that she saw every time she closed her eyes; she did not need to see more. “Elena found them when Matt didn’t show up for the demonstration this morning.”

“Fuck.” Damon hissed out in a low tone, pulling his wife closer to him. Caroline crossed her arms and looked towards the house again, trying to remember if she had ever been inside it. Stefan placed a hand on Caroline’s forearm and looked at her in concern. His touch almost felt as if it burned her and Caroline could feel the simmering rage in the back of her mind, mixed with the hint of jealousy.

“Are you okay?” Stefan asked her, worry laced in his voice. For a moment she almost saw the old friend she had once had as a child, long before their miserable romance took hold. Caroline nodded but moved her arms in order to remove his hand from her person. The simmering jealousy ceased and an almost purring echoed in the back of her mind, something that prickled her annoyance. Klaus had no right to be jealous about anything until he talked with her.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Stefan looked as though he was about to say something else but another scream from the other side of the crowed. Caroline had not noticed another car pull up but the sight of Vicki Donovan running towards her brother’s house was heart breaking. Her light brown hair whipped behind her and she looked as though she had just come from the gym.

“Matty!” Vicki screamed and tried to get into the house. A police office quickly grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off the ground. She tried to fight him, but he was not letting her go. He pulled her to his chest, all the while Vicki continued to scream and cry out for her brother, her eyes never leaving the house. “Matty! Let me see my brother! Matty!”

“Vicki, you can’t go in there. You don’t want to go in there.” The officer said, trying to calm her down but she could not hear him. The scene tore at Caroline’s heart, knowing the pain that Vicki was feeling at losing the last of her family. “Vicki, you don’t want to see the bodies!”

His voice was like a sharp whip, cracking into the daylight; running any ounce of happiness the sun might have provided. Vicki just looked at the officer and after a second, let out a penetrating wail. She stopped fighting and just collapsed to the ground; tears leaking out of her eyes uncontrollably. Caroline could not look away, her heart shattering at the sight. She wanted to reach out and sooth Vicki. She wanted to tell her that Matt would have found peace, and April. They were too good of people not to. When she took a step forward, every intention to go to the woman she had not held a single conversation with since high school, there was the hiss of a warning in the back of her mind.

_“Humans are not to know of the afterlife. Say nothing.”_ Klaus’s voice echoed in her mind, warning her from sparing Vicki the pain. Caroline wanted to fight back against him, not only because she wanted to give this woman the peace she clearly needed, but because her anger at Klaus trumped being rational. She was just about to ignore the demon’s command, but Vicki’s own voice stopped her.

“Kelly.” She said, looking around frantically. “My niece. What happened to my niece!?”

“She is fine. We took her to the hospital. She was untouched. Hungry and bawling but otherwise fine.” The office soothed, his tone gentle and Caroline almost wished she could remember his name. “Kelly is fine. I promise you. She is fine.”

“I want her.” Vicki’s voice was final and hard. Caroline could see the determination in her eyes that told Caroline that Vicki would do anything that it took to keep her niece safe. “I am her family and I will take care of her. Give her to me.”

“We will take you to the hospital. Okay? Just, don’t go inside that house.” Vicki nodded and the officer wrapped his arms around her, leading her towards one of the police cruisers. Caroline watched them go, as did the rest of the crowed before turning to gaze back at the little yellow house that still looked so happy. As she started at the house, it almost seemed as though the tint of the shutters grew darker.

Caroline squinted her eyes and her insides froze. The windows grew dark and darker until an almost inhumane figure crawled out from it. It moved like a wisp of smoke, but Caroline swore she could see it blinking. It was a shadow but not like the ones she was used to seeing. There was no dancing, merriment or graceful movements. This was something more and something far darker. The creature, that no one else seemed to be seeing made eye contact with her, blinking but never once breaking its gaze. It gave an eerie smirk before vanishing in a cloud of black smoke. The scar on the back of shoulder burned almost like it was freshly branded onto her skin.

“Ouch.” Caroline hissed, her hand reaching to touch her shoulder. Stefan reached out to touch her, checking if she was alright but Caroline jerked out of his grasp, not wanting to feel his hands on her. Her head whipped towards him and she could see the wounded look on his face. “Don’t. Just, don’t touch me Stefan.”

“Sorry-“

“Don’t.” Caroline did not want to fight with Stefan. Not now; not after what just happened. Not only were Matt and April dead, people who she had just seen the other day, but something demonic had crawled out of their home. The guilt swelled up inside her because while Caroline did not kill them herself, they died because the was wrapped up in something she did not understand. “I can’t deal with you right now Stefan.”

Caroline walked over to Elena, placing her hand on her friends back. Elena looked up from Damon’s chest and gave her a watery smile. She wanted to stay and help her friend, but she needed to know what was going on. She needed answers before someone else died; before she had any more blood on her hands. Elena reached over and gave her a tight hug.

“Damon is going to take me home. I just want to go to sleep and forget any of this ever happened.” Elena whispered and Caroline nodded, knowing that feeling all too well. Caroline felt like she should offer to go with her, to hold her hand and try and make all this make sense for her; but she couldn’t. Even if she laid on the bed next to her best friend, listening to her cry, Caroline had no way to make this better for her. The part of Caroline that wanted to reach out and fix everything so the world made sense again raged in her veins, knowing that there was nothing she really could do.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No.” Elena shook her head, gripping Damon tighter; his arms holding her securely against his chest, his cold eyes staring at the house that once held a small family. “I think I want to be alone right now. I just want to sleep. Will you be okay?” Caroline nodded, knowing exactly what she needed to do. “Okay. Just, call me. Later. Much later.”

“Okay. If you need anything, let me know. Okay? Just, let me know.” Caroline told her and Elena nodded again. Taking a deep breath, Caroline turned away from her best friend and walked directly to her car. Stefan tried to stop her. His mouth opened to say something, but Caroline had not patience for him; no desire to hear whatever it was that his mind worked up that would gage her attention. She had no time for Stefan.

She climbed into her Honda and slammed the door shut. She glanced at the house one last time, checking to see if the shadow had returned but found nothing. However, Caroline could not help but notice how the little yellow house just seemed to be a bit darker than before. Gone was the bright happy feeling it once invoked and was replaced with something evil.

As she pulled down the street, flashing lights still in her rearview mirror, Caroline picked up her phone and dialed Bonnie’s number again. It rang a few times before going to voicemail and this time Caroline did not leave a message. She tossed the phone down onto the seat and made her way out of Mystic Falls, her mind wandering to Matt and April.

They did not deserve to die, not like this. They should have grown old together with their children surrounding them. They should have died with grey hair, in their sleep while holding each other’s hand. Their death should have followed after a long and joyful life in the small town they called home.

They shouldn’t have died in the crossfire of witchcraft and demons.

Caroline tried Bonnie again but received no answer. Tears prickled in her eyes and the pounding of her chest made it hard to breath. She wondered if she was next on the demonic list of the dead. Would it be her mutilated body that Elena found when she stopped answering her phone? Would it hurt? Would death be painful? Liz’s murdered corpse flashed in her eyes and Caroline’s hands gripped the steering wheel.

_Liz._

_Bill._

_Cami._

_Stephen._

_Matt._

_April._

“Talk to me, damn it!” Caroline hissed out. Her eyes flashed to the rearview mirror, willing Klaus to appear but her backseat remained empty. “Stop it with the silent treatment and tell me what the fuck is going on! Why Matt and April? What the fuck does their deaths have to prove? What purpose did they serve!”

Caroline received nothing but silence as her answer but could feel something stirring in the back of her mind. There was a lingering state of urgency that was playing like a find tuned instrument. Klaus had realized something and no longer was he focused on keeping her out but instead, rushing to make a decision. She could feel him weighing something back and forth and it was clearly important. She could not help but wonder if the deaths of Matt and April triggered it because she could tell that there was surprise there.

Caroline pulled into Richmond and drove down the now familiar street to Bonnie’s store. It was a Monday and therefore the store should have been open but as she drove past, Caroline saw that the storefront was dark. She parked her car and bolted towards the store. She reached the door and tried to open it, but she noticed it was locked. Something told Caroline that if she pushed hard enough, she could break the door open. The urge she felt to break the door down was almost all consuming, but Caroline was far too logical to give in. She needed Bonnie’s help and breaking into her store was most likely not going to get that.

“Bonnie!” Caroline yelled as she knocked on the door. There was nothing but silence that greeted her, but she could almost see something moving in the store. There was a light that appeared to be coming from behind a closed door that Caroline remembered lead to the store kitchen. Someone was moving on the other side of that door. Caroline knocked on the glass again, yelling for Bonnie. “Come on Bonnie. Please! I need to talk to you.”

The movement froze, as though whomever was behind it stood the moment, they heard their name being called. Caroline knocked again and again, refusing to leave. The door in the shop opened and Caroline could see the faint outline of Bonnie in the dim lighting. Slowly, Bonnie made her way across the store but stop just short of door.

“We’re closed.” Bonnie’s muffled voice came, almost as though she was terrified to get any closer to her. Caroline wondered if the reason she had not opened the store today was because Bonnie wanted to keep her out. “I got your message. As you can see, I am fine. Now please, leave me alone.”

“Bonnie. Please. I know you’re scared. I really do but I need your help.” Caroline pleaded but Bonnie did not move. “I have no idea what happened last night. I was speaking with my mom and the next thing I know some monster was crawling towards me, trying to…god I don’t know. The shadows were everywhere, and it felt like hell. Or at least, something like it.”

“I should never have gotten involved with you. Please leave.”

“Someone I knew was murdered last night.” Caroline told her and she could see the shop owner freeze. “His name was Matt and we were friends, kind of. He was the sheriff in town and last night him and his wife were murdered in their home. My friend Elena found their bodies and from what she said, it was a slaughter.” Caroline closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool glass of the door. “I was standing outside their house today, with Elena and a dozen other people and _something_ crawled out of the window. It was inhuman or like, a shadow taking a human form. I don’t know but only I could see it. No one else seemed to notice that it was there.”

“It probably was a cacodemon.” Bonnie muttered, her eyes down cast and shoulder’s slumped. “They are like demons but not as strong. Demons can come and go as they please, well some can, if they have a foothold on this realm, a portal or something. Cacodemons need to be brought here by something. Like, finding an open door and jumping through it.”

“Like a spell?” Caroline asked and Bonnie nodded. Tears prickled in her eyes again, Klaus’s words from the night before ringing in her ears. _Do you realize what you have done?_ “They had a baby. A little girl. From what I gather she was unharmed, but she was in that house. She was in the house that her parents were killed in because we decided to mess with something, I don’t think we understood. Their deaths are our fault.”

“Caroline-“

“No. A little girl became an orphan today.” Caroline hissed, a surge of anger pulsing through her. She gripped the doorknob, knowing that if Bonnie did not let her in, she would come in anyway. “This is no longer just about me. People are dying and I need to know why. I need to find a way to make this stop and you have to help me. Please. Just, help me and then once this mess is done and over with, I promise you will never have to see me again.”

“Fine.” Bonnie sighed and walked towards the door. She reached out to touch the deadbolt and Caroline could hear the specific sound of the lock turning. Bonnie opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Caroline to enter the darkened store. The lights were off but there was something eerie about seeing all the occult items lingering in the darkness; the only light was the sun coming from the storefront windows. The crystals that were sitting on the shelves sparkled and almost glowed with some magical force. “Follow me.”

Bonnie lead Caroline into the kitchen and Caroline sat down on the same stool she had sat upon days earlier. She looked around at the fresh herbs, crystals and books and nothing seemed out of place from her last visit. There was a bit pot on the stove that was bubbling away, and Caroline almost startled at the sight of the spoon stirring the contents of the pot all by itself.

“What are you making?” Caroline asked, her eyes unable to look away from the blatant use of magic. She found it almost hysterical that a moving spoon would baffle her after everything she had experienced in the last few weeks. She supposed it was because of something so mundane as stirring a pot could be done with magic that it took her by surprise. “It smells awful.”

“It should.” Bonnie replied at the stench of what smelt like a mixture of burning wood and flesh. “It is a cleansing potion. I was brewing it in hopes of disinfecting myself from the evil we conjured last night.” Caroline nodded, and in the back of her mind wondered if Bonnie would give her some as well. “We should have listened to Kai and never done that spell. What we did was reckless and frankly, stupid. No wonder he isn’t answering my calls this morning. A cacodemon. Shit.”

“Yeah. Bad idea.” Caroline muttered, not wanting to point out that it was Bonnie who came up with the plan and that she just went along with it. She figured that pointing out the obvious was not going to get Bonnie to help her at all. “So, what is a cacodemon?”

“They are a mutated soul. One that has spent too long in a demon’s domain to the point that they are no longer recognizable as they once were.” Bonnie sighed, leaning against the counter. “They usually work as henchman for a demon. Following commands of a demon in the underworld but it is rare that they walk on the surface. Like I said, they need to find a loophole or something to latch onto in order to be on the surface. They seek out blood and death and something pure, corrupting it. When Kai and I tried to bring you back last night, it latched onto you.”

“It latched onto me and I brought it back with me.” Caroline finished and Bonnie nodded. “Last night I didn’t speak to my aunt. I spoke to my mom. She was saying that she went willingly to her death. That when your grams shoved a knife through her heart, it wasn’t unwanted.” Bonnie’s eyes went wide and Caroline could smell the fear radiating off of her. “I’m assuming that whatever demon’s domain my mother was in, that was where that thing latched onto me? They killed Matt and April because we opened a door and it walked right through.”

“Yes.” A pain of guilt and sorrow coursed through Caroline. A conversation with her mother costed both April and Matt their lives. Tears streamed down her face and she wanted nothing more than to take back everything she had done the night before. Years ago, she would have done anything to speak with her mother, now she wished she never had. “And no.”

“And shadows? What are they? Are they cacodemons?”

“No.” Bonnie shook her head. “They are nothing more than the manifestation of dark energy. Think of the movie _The Poltergeist._ They are created by the practice of dark magic. The shadows we saw growing up and the ones that still haunt you, are strong because they are the consequence of generations of dark magic. Your mother and aunt practiced in the same coven has my mom did once. And my grams. Your grandparents and great-grand parents all practiced the same kind of a dark magic. With each generation they grow stronger.”

“And what? The shadows pick a child to haunt for their entire life until this dark coven sacrifices them?” Caroline’s voice was high pitched, and Bonnie winced. It was unfair and Caroline knew it but part of her wanted to blame Bonnie for this. She was the only wiccan she really knew that still practiced and it was easy to lay the blame at her feet. “How do you even know all this! Why did you not tell me this before?!”

“I only knew what my mother told me, and I was honest about that. Most of the stuff I learned at the end of her life and not a moment before.” Bonnie snapped back. “But after last night, I needed to understand fully what I got myself into. So, I did something that my mother never, ever asked me to do.”

“What? Summon the devil himself?” Caroline replied in a sarcastic tone. She was not serious but part of her would not have been surprised it that was exactly what Bonnie had done. At this point, Caroline fully believed that the Devil existed and if he were to manifest himself in the middle of Bonnie’s shop, she probably would have not been surprised.

“No. I don’t have enough power for that.” Bonnie muttered a reply, confirming that it was indeed possible to summon Lucifer himself. Caroline shook herself, not wanting to dwell on the thought as she watched Bonnie walk across the kitchen and pick up an old leather-bound book. She sat it down in front of Caroline and quickly let go of it as though it burned her.

Caroline felt her heart drop at the sight. The book gave off an aura of complete and total darkness. Without having any inclination of magic or the occult, Caroline could still tell that this book was nothing more than evil. It appeared unassuming and harmless at first but the bindings on the spine of the book appeared almost black and moving. It looked as though the shadows were holding the book together themselves. Upon instinct, Caroline wanted nothing more than to toss that book into a fire and run as far from it as possible, but she got the feeling that not even fire could destroy such a book.

“What is that?”

“That is my grandmother’s grimoire.” Bonnie muttered, giving the book the same look Caroline was. It was clear that Bonnie had no desire to look at the book any more than Caroline did. “My mother always forbids me to read it when she inherited it. She tried to get rid of it. Destroy it but nothing worked. It always appeared right back on my mother’s bookshelf as though it never left. Eventually she gave up and just let it be. Hoping that if it was covered in enough dust or realize that it was never going to be read again, then maybe it would vanish.”

_“Open me. Read me.”_ Whispers filled the room and Caroline felt as though she was plunged into an ice bath, for the room grew colder. The lights above them flickered and Bonnie’s eyes looked upward, fear racing through them. They were not alone, and Caroline knew in that moment that this was alive; a sentient being that could not only speak but hear them as well. _“Open me.”_

“It always whispered to me.” Bonnie muttered, casting the book a dark look. “It always longed to be read but I always resisted. Refusing to give in but after last night I knew that I needed to find out more, so I dusted it off and opened it. Part of me still wishes I hadn’t. The horrors my grandmother was into, well, it is not for the faint of heart.”

“It wants me to touch it.” The whispers were growing more instant, latching onto Caroline because it knew that she was listening. The mark on her shoulder burned and pulsed. She reached up to touch her shoulder, hoping to sooth the dull pain that she knew came from the close proximity to the book. “It’s like it is talking to me.”

“Nothing good comes from opening that book.” Bonnie told her and Caroline knew that she had never said anymore as honest as that. “And I spent all last night reading it. My grams wrote a lot about the shadows, explaining what they were and how they came to be. She detailed what cacodemon was and planned out the ritual that took your mother’s life. I suppose it was the job of the high priestess of the coven.”

“The ritual that I’m being prepared for?” Bonnie nodded, her eyes down casted and unable to look at her. Caroline felt as though her heart dropped, remembering that the end result of this all was her eventual death. Klaus promised to protect her, but she was beginning to wonder if he would be able to do such a thing. “Who is the high priestess now?”

“I don’t know. She never mentioned who her successor was. Just her predecessor.” Bonnie shrugged. “The ritual must be performed roughly every twenty years. Weeks before the ritual is preformed, the shadows choose the next sacrifice. Usually a child who was baptized within the coven. The shadows guard the child and protect her until the time has come. The priestess then prepares everything in order to ensure the sacrifice is handled and that nothing gets in the way while the other members just followed her orders. The things my grams had to do leading up to sacrifice were horrific. She killed a lot of people.”

“Why?” Caroline asked, her mind flashing to Matt and April. She thought on Stephen and realized that perhaps there was no chance for them at all. History was repeating itself and hearing her mother speak on the matter the night before only confirmed that they all turned a blind eye to what was occurring around them; even her aunt Cami. “Why kill innocent people?”

“Many different reasons. The land where the sacrifice is going to be held must be consecrated in His name. One death a decade or so prior to the sacrifice and then murdering one or more people exactly one week before the sacrifice is to be performed. Others, well, they just got in the way. I believe that the cacodemon was sent to seek innocent souls to ensure that blood was spilled on grounds the ritual will set on.” Bonnie’s voice was lifeless and broken. “My grams detailed a lot of things, including the selling of her own soul. God. I can’t believe-”

“One week? I am set to die in one week?” Tears pooled in her eyes and she could feel them begin to fall down her cheeks. Her heart began to beat wildly, and she shook her head, not wanting to hear that she was going to die. She was meant to grow old and live a full life; not to die at the hands of a coven filled with dark magic. The whispers coming from the book began to whisper wildly. Their tones were gleeful and happy, deranged excitement filled the room. “No! No! Aunt Cami sold her soul to a demon to stop this. He promised to protect me.”

“What? Caroline what are you talking about?”

“My aunt summoned a demon a long time ago. Sold her soul to protect me.” She wanted to reach out to Klaus and make him hold her. She wanted nothing more than to crawl inside of him because maybe she would be safe there. He promised to keep her safe and she would beg and plead with him to do that. She would give her own soul to him if he wished it just to be spared this fate. “Klaus promised me.”

“Klaus? The demon Niklaus?” Bonnie paused and gave her a look. “You mentioned the demon Niklaus before. The last time we were in this kitchen, you mentioned that particular demon to me. Why?” Caroline was practically shaking, tears slipping down face and her throat felt as though he was raw. She found that she was unable to find the words to answer here. “Your Aunt made deal with Niklaus didn’t she? To try and stop the sacrifice. To keep you safe.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve seen him? He has been talking to you?” Caroline nodded as she wrapped her arms around herself, tears still streaming down her face. Bonnie’s eyes grew wider still, and she ran her hands through her hair. “When I came to your house yesterday, the shadows were trying to get inside you. Shit. He marked you. Didn’t he? Niklaus marked you as his? That is why the shadows were doing that to you. They wanted to remove his mark before the sacrifice happened.” 

“They said that their master could never find out. That they wanted to remove it before he learned of it.” Caroline’s throat burned as she spoke. “Then this thing appeared in my living room. A cacodemon I suppose is the term for it. It said that its master knew but that gift had to be preserved. I take it that I’m the gift?” Bonnie nodded. “And what am I a gift for?”

Bonnie looked at Caroline as though she was at a loss for words. She opened her mouth several times before shutting it again. She looked down at the book and back to Caroline. She reached out to touch it but before her hand made contact with it, she snatched it back. Bonnie did not want to touch the book and Caroline, even in her drive for answers, could not blame her.

“I’ll tell you, but I have to know something first.” Caroline agreed to the terms. She would have agreed to anything at that point, anything that would have prevented her from standing on death’s door. “Do you have a burn mark? One that is very old and that you would have gotten as a child?” Caroline slowly moved the top of her sweater down over her shoulder, hissing at the contact it made. She turned and showed the mark to Bonnie. “You got that the night your mother was murdered.”

“Yes. How did you know that?”

“It’s part of the ritual. When coven member has a child, they baptize them in a demon’s name. This baptism allows the shadows to know which children are eligible to become a sacrifice. The coven, or at least according to my grams’ grimoire looked at being chosen as an honor.” Bonnie reached out and touched the cursed grimoire. She flipped open the leather binding to the first page and on the old paper Caroline could see a crude drawing of the mark on her shoulder. A small ‘v’ turned sideways, and the edges curled. A long line drawn directly through the center of the mark. It appeared as though Sheila had traced it over and over again for it was black that Caroline could not tell if the shadows were embedded into it. “The child the shadows chose is held down and branded with that symbol on their person, marking them as the gift.”

“A gift for what?”

“For the demon Mikael.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I have hinted at the Mikael thing and a good bit of you guessed correctly. Also, this marks the halfway point in the story!


	12. Demonic Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: so I was a bit tipsy last night when I edited this. So, if there are any glaring mistakes, thats why.  
> Yay for family dinners and the only way to get through them is with alcohol. LOL

_“Come now child, what are you doing in here?” Sheila’s voice startled the little girl. The sounds of the passing parade could be heard outside the townhouse. Four-year-old Caroline was staring up at the painting of the young blonde woman who was teasing her. She wore a kind smile and for a moment, she was waving at her. Caroline adored the painting because she felt as though she understood the beautiful woman and almost as though she was real. Caroline swore she saw her move, smile and even laugh but it was just a painting. Paintings couldn’t more, not without magic._

_“I wanted to speak with my friend.” Caroline smiled at Sheila and the older woman knelt down to the level of the small girl. Caroline did not know what it was like to have a grandmother, but Sheila felt like one. She was always kind, smelled like flowers and told her stories of the Seven always made her laugh. “She was telling secrets.”_

_“Was she now?” Sheila asked. Her dark eyes flickered up to the painting before look turning back to Caroline. “Your mother told me that you named your doll after her?” Caroline nodded happily, her smile growing wide. “Why is Freya your favorite? Why not Rebekah? They say that Rebekah is the most beautiful of them all.”_

_“Freya seems so magical. Traveling around in pictures. All the places she gets to see. And she seems so brave.” Caroline cocked her head and looked up at Sheila. The older woman could see the fear lingering behind the child’s blue eyes. “The Shadows keep coming back. They say we are friends, but Aunt Cami told me not to play with them.”_

_“When did she tell you this?” Sheila prodded gently but Caroline shrugged focusing back on the woman in the painting again. “Caroline, look at me.” The little girl turned her head and gazed at Sheila. “Tonight, is going to be very scary for you. You may not understand what is happening but know that it is all for the best. Your mother is being honored and one day, you will too. Maybe Freya will even be there to greet you when the time comes.”_

_“Freya won’t be there to greet me!”_

_“And why not?”_

_“Because that is not how the story goes!” Caroline gave Sheila an exasperated tone. She gave a small eye roll that Sheila could not help but chuckle at. “Freya cannot leave the paintings. She was cursed! Mikael cursed her and in order to see his sister again, Niklaus painted pictures for her to travel in. I think that was kind of him.”_

_“We do not say that name!” Sheila hissed out harshly, she gripped Caroline’s arm tightly. Caroline tried to pull herself free as tears began to slide down her face but when Sheila realized that she was hurting the girl, she loosened her grip. “I’m sorry child. I did not mean to hurt you. Just, you are not to ever speak of the bastard. Our master does not take kindly to those who associate with him.”_

_“I’m sorry.” Tears began to well up in Caroline’s eyes, confusion rippled through her as though she had done something wrong. Sheila pulled the child into her arms and rocked her, bringing some sort of comfort to her. Caroline did not understand why Sheila had gotten angry with her. Sheila had always been kind to her, playing with her hair and lighting candles with nothing more than blow of light breath through her lips. Her mother always said that Sheila was to be respected and within the last few days, the older woman had taken a special interest in Caroline. “Mommy says she is going away. I don’t want her to leave.”_

_“Shh, don’t cry. Everything will be alright.” Sheila rocked her. “I know you’re confused but the shadows are here to keep you safe. Put your trust in them and one day you will see your mother again.” Sheila kissed the top of Caroline’s head. “I had wished they would have picked my granddaughter Bonnie. I paid a high price for my daughter to be able have her. Well, it is neither here nor there.”_

“Caroline?” Bonnie’s voice pulled her from her daydream. Caroline has lost herself in a deep thought, staring up at the painting in Bonnie’s shop. She knew she had seen it somewhere before. When she had spoken with her mother in that trance, this painting had been there. Seeing and touching that book of Bonnie’s grandmother, Caroline felt as though she had seen it before. “Are you okay?”

“No.” She answered honestly. Bonnie reached out to touch her arm but pulled her hand back. Bonnie turned to look at the painting and Caroline wondered if she had any memories of it like she did. “It is not every day that you learn your family belonged to a coven of witches that worshiped a demon who requires a human scarifies every few decades. A sacrifice that I’m going to be apparently.”

“No. That is not something you learn every day.”

“This painting. I think my mom had one like it in the house we lived in when I was little. Her name is Freya, I think, and my mom used to tell me stories about her. You said that your mom found it when she bought this shop?” Bonnie nodded. “I think it came to you. I think it chose you because last night, wherever the hell I was, when I spoke with my mom, this painting was there. Watching.”

“My mother always kept it in the attic. She never wanted it hung down here. I never understood why.” Bonnie replied and Caroline believed her. She got the impression that Abby would have done anything to keep Bonnie away from the darkness that her grandmother brought into their lives. “Anyway, I have idea.”

“Bonnie do not take this the wrong way but the last time you had an idea, we let something from the pits of hell crawl through my…I don’t know…. magical doorway.” Caroline turned to look at her with a tired look. She learned that she was set to die in a week’s time if everyone in Sheila’s grimoire was accurate. “If we try that spell or any spell again, who knows what will happen. Like, we could accidently summon a demon or something.”

“Actually. That is kind of my plan.” Bonnie took a deep breath as Caroline gave her a disbelieving look. “You said earlier that you have been talking to the demon Niklaus?”

“Yeah, well, he is kind of giving me the silent treatment at the moment.”

“What if we made him talk to you?”

“What? You’re saying that we summon Klaus?” Caroline asked and Bonnie nodded. Klaus had been silent all day and Caroline could feel the anger he felt in regard to the spell Bonnie performed the night before still lingering behind. Klaus only spoke to her on his terms and rarely ever in person. The idea of forcing him to talk to her and give her answers was very appealing. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

“I make no promises that I actually can.” Bonnie told her and Caroline nodded. “Like the spell last night, it is a dark and powerful magic. It is not something I’ve ever tried. I honestly avoided summoning demons but when in Rome right?” Bonnie pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. “But it is something my mom would have done. She wanted to keep you safe. I can’t just sit back and watch you die.”

“Thank you.”

“Close the blinds on the windows and then help me push this table off to the side.” Caroline nodded and followed her directions while Bonnie left the room to gather what Caroline assumed were supplies. She grabbed a wooden chair and stood on it to close the blinds of the store, making the room go far darker than it had been originally.

Bonnie came back into the room and they moved the crystals, tarot cards and Ouija board from the table, placed them on the bookshelves and pushed the table to the side. Bonnie placed several candles around the room and pulled out a piece of white chalk. She drew a pentagram on the wood floor of her shop before pouring a ring of salt around it. Caroline noticed that Bonnie had brought her grandmother’s grimoire with and placed it on the ground.

“Move off to the side.” Bonnie told her and Caroline moved towards the bookshelf. Bonnie got down on her knees and took a deep breath, her exhale lit the candles in the room without even blinking. Caroline jumped lightly at the blatant use of magic but was quickly distracted by the harsh voice Bonnie use. The chanting sending shivers down Caroline’s spine. “ _Niklaus meum et vocavi te, ego vis ad fac a pacisco.”_ There was a flicker in the room, the candles grew dimmer and a moment when the air went cold. as though something was there “ _Niklaus meum et vacavi te, ego vis ad fac a pacisor.”_

“Bonnie? What is happening?” Caroline’s voice trembled as her eyes danced around the room. She felt as though the room was moving, almost glitching as though something was wrong with it. Her eyes traveled to the painting on the wall and the woman, Freya, looked as though she wanted to crawl through the painting but for what reason Caroline did not know. The lights flickered again, and Caroline wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the freezing cold air hit her skin. “Bonnie?!”

“ _Niklaus meum et vocavi te, ego vis ad fac a pacisco. Niklaus meum et vacavi te, ego vis ad fac a pacisor.”_ Over and over Bonnie chanted. Caroline felt as though the room was twisting and turning, something unnatural occurring around her. Bonnie’s nails curled into the wood in front of the pentagram and salt circle; Caroline thought that her nails were going to start to bleed. “Damn it! He is ignoring me. He is refusing to come.”

“But you reached him?”

“Yes. He is anchored here. Something is holding him to this plane but is refusing to come.” Bonnie’s voice was low and almost sounded pained, as though the summoning spell was ripping her apart. Caroline could feel a fury rip through her, and she found it impossible to know if it was her own fury or Klaus’s. Caroline knew that she was what anchoring Klaus to this plane and that pushed her to do something impulsive. Caroline pushed away from the bookshelf and stepped over the salt circle, by passing the candles and stood directly in the middle of the pentagram. “What are you doing!?”

“Klaus! Get your ass up here now and talk to me! You are a thousand of years old and yet you’re throwing a tantrum like toddler. Grow the hell up and get up here now.” Caroline screamed into the room and a loud thundering growl in the room, but she was not about to let that intimidate her. Caroline was not about to back down. “I’m not kidding Klaus, get up here! Now!”

“Alright. Enough with the shouting.” Caroline whipped around and directly behind her was Klaus. At first, the only thing she could focus on was him. Those stormy grey-blue eyes peered down at her and there was not a hint of mischief in them. His arms here crossed, and his shoulders ridged. He was still angry. Very angry.

Caroline flinched away from his gaze and noticed that everything else had gone still. The flames flicking from the candles were frozen. There was an outline of someone that could be seen through the blinds hanging on the window walking by and they too were immobile; frozen in mid-step. Caroline turned to look at Bonnie and noticed that the young woman was still on her knees, eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar but completely still.

“Bonnie!” Caroline jumped out of the circle, her foot breaking the salt circle, and waved her hand over Bonnie’s face; the wiccan did not move. She was completely frozen just like the room around her. Klaus gave a pleased smirk and stepped over the salt circle in order to pace around the room. “Fix her!”

“Your little wiccan friend is fine. I just felt that she need not be privy to this conversation. You know how uncomfortable domestic fights can be and it best that she not be witnessed to it.” His tone was light and amusing but a darkness lingered behind it that made Caroline wary. “Honestly, I thought you had better tastes in friends, but I suppose not. Look at that chap Stefan you used to run around with. Pleased that relationship ended.”

“Stefan has nothing to do with this.” Caroline stood and crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Klaus, who still was not looking at her. Instead, he was roaming around the shop, taking in everything he could see. When he got to the painting and Caroline noticed that she had moved back to her original pose; no longer trying to break free from the wooden frame.

A whisper echoed from the painting and Caroline paused. The whisper was nothing like the cold void the shadows presented but instead, it felt like a music box that had been opened to play a sweet lullaby. Klaus narrowed his eyes at the painting and an irritated look past over his face. His lips formed into a scowl and barred his perfect teeth at the painting.

_“Et ad latus eius?”_ Klaus’s voice changed and a shock went through Caroline. The memories of his lips on her body as he spoke in a tone similar on the night he marked her. Yet, that seductive tone was angry and displeased. Something told Caroline to run and flee, that danger was in front of her, but deep down she knew that Klaus was her best shot at staying alive. “ _Scilicet si vos. Mollia cum sempre libero. Quis putas eras Henrik.”_

“Seriously! You’re going to ignore me and talk to a painting instead?” Caroline bit out and Klaus turned to look at her. His eyes trailed her person, but he said nothing. Caroline groaned in frustration, refusing to let him go back to giving her the silent treatment. “Fine. I get it! You’re pissed at me! But you won’t tell me anything! I’m set to die, Klaus! Do you honestly think that I’m not going to try and find answers?”

Whispering entered the room again, this time the melody coming from the painting was harsh and cold. Klaus turned to look at it and gave it a cold glare as though it was extremely upset by the proposition it had presented. Klaus’s lips turned into a scowl and focused back on Caroline. Shivers ran down her spine and for a moment, she had forgotten what Klaus was. He wasn’t human. He wasn’t a man. Klaus was something far more powerful that she could possibly understand.

Klaus began to slowly walk towards her and the hair on the back of Caroline’s neck stood up. Her entire body could feel the danger that radiated off of him. Perhaps it was the fact that she knew that there was a chance she would die soon that stopped Caroline from backing down. She knew that Klaus didn’t want to kill her and in comparison, what is the worst thing he could do when the prospect of death was already on her mind?

“Do you know how it felt to be cut off from you?” Klaus whispered as he stood directly in front of her. He peered down at her through long lashes and with bright blue eyes. Caroline could see the flickers of gold in them and wondered if that was the demon in him, or just Klaus. “I thought that they had come early. I thought that he figured a way to remove my mark. I thought you were in his domain. I was right but you went on your own volition.”

“They tried to remove the mark. The Shadows I mean.” Klaus paused, appearing startled at the information as though he had not known that detail. “They got a bit to close. They touched me and I felt as though my body was engulfed into an ice bath. They went down my throat and I felt as though my own heart was being torn from my chest.” Caroline looked down at the frozen Bonnie. “If Bonnie had not come at that moment, they would have taken it.”

“Then I won’t devour her soul for placing you in harms away. Foolish wiccan.” Klaus snapped at her, but Caroline could see the fear lingering behind his words. “Although, it is questionable if she has a soul at all. Her entire existence is unnatural. The result of a deal that should have never been made. Demonic conceptions are rarely done in such a manner. If she has a soul, there is already a claim on it. It would be a deal _he_ would make.”

“You mean Mikael?” Klaus froze and his features hardened. His lips turned up into a sneer and for a moment, Caroline thought he was going to bare his teeth to growl at her. The spots of gold in his eyes grew brighter, giving his gaze an inhuman quality. “Bonnie has been doing homework. She told me that the coven my mother had once belonged to worship a demon named Mikael. That my mother was a gift to him.”

“Yes.” The words were a hiss. “Mikael. Always the sycophant needing beautiful mortals bowing at his feet. He is not merely satisfied with making deals and collecting souls. Oh no. He needs gifts. Pretty little boys and girls that he will put on pedestals to toy within his domain. Cursing and devouring those who displease him.”

“You hate him.” It was an observation and Caroline could feel the wave of pure and absolute darkness steaming from him at the mere thought of Mikael.

“More like he hates me, but the feeling is mutual.”

Caroline wanted to ask why but Klaus was pacing again. She could sense that the feud that lingered between Klaus and Mikael was old, very old. Perhaps that was why Cami chose Klaus, she knew that he would be willing to go against Mikael when another demon would not. Whatever the basis of the hatred between the two was, it was unlikely to be the source that kept her alive, so she chose a different topic. Caroline felt that diving into a what could only be a millennium long feud to be unwise in that moment, even though she knew that Klaus could feel her curiosity, instead she pressed onto a topic that had been burning inside her since she had awoken in her bed that morning.

“Last night I spoke to my mother.” Her voice was small, and Klaus nodded, for the first time since he was summoned to her, he gave her a look of sympathy as though he understood the feeling of losing a parent. “She loved Mikael. She said that being in his domain was a blessing, but something happened to her. She turned to dust right in front of me. What happened to her?”

“She must have said the wrong thing, or he sensed that there is something wrong in the preparation for the sacrifice. It would make sense why he allowed the cacodemon to slip through the crack between dimensions in order to fix the problem.” Klaus took a step forward and placed his hand on her cheek, giving her cheekbone a gentle caress of his thumb. “He knows I’ve been meddling.”

“And my mother?” Caroline’s voice was low. The memory of Liz turning to dust before her eyes haunted her and she was terrified to learn what had become of her soul. Deep down, she knew the answer but there was that small part of her that denied the trust. There was so much about the afterlife that Caroline just did not understand. Maybe there was a chance that Liz’s soul lingered somewhere.

“He consumed her. Her soul no longer exists.” Klaus’s tone was unwavering but gentle. Caroline let out a harsh sob at her worst fears being confirmed, the feeling of her heart completely breaking. Klaus pulled her into his arms, and she buried her face into his chest, the grief taking over in that moment. A whole was pushed through her chest and the loss of someone else felt fresh and new; even though Liz’s death was decades old. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. Mikael cares little for the souls he processes. They are nothing more than toys to him.”

“And what about you?” Caroline asked him, refusing to move from his embrace. There was something comforting about being in his arms. Maybe it was the mark or the fact that she had become so attune to his emotions that the wave of comfort he passed through to her made her want to cling to him more. She enjoyed the feeling of his fingers rubbing soothing circles on her back and the earthy, dark smell of him. “What about the souls you keep? Allowing them to relive their worst moments over and over again? Is that not what you do?”

“No.” Klaus leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “The difference is that I do not hide what awaits those I make a deal with. If I make a deal, I make no illusions on what those souls on the other side will experience. Mikael promises them a paradise. An afterlife filled with all the riches one could desire. He delivers, but only if every one of his commands are met, both during life and after. It is a grand façade but a façade none the less.”

“So, he is a cult leader?”

“Such a human concept.” Klaus chuckled that inhuman laugh and it made Caroline relax instead of swell with fear. The terrifying demon that paced the shop only moments before was smothered out by the man she had met that night in New Orleans. She knew that they were one in the same, but Caroline found that she did not care. It was foolish but the fact that Klaus was holding her, and talking to her, made the horrific last few weeks seem almost bearable. “But I suppose that the analogy is correct.”

“So that is what is going to happen to me? Some crazed cult member is going to drive a knife through my heart, and I end up Mikael’s plaything for all eternity?” Caroline felt panic begin to rise in her chest. Suddenly, the reality that this was not just death she was face with. It was her soul. If the sacrifice goes as planned and Caroline dies, she would spend the rest of eternity tormented and played with at the hands of a sadistic monster.

“No.” Klaus’s voice was harsh and cold. He pulled Caroline from his arms and looked down at her. His features were set into a hard expression, but Caroline could sense that he meant every word that he spoke. “No. I will not allow it. I made a deal Caroline. Your aunt’s soul in return for your protection. I vowed that when the time comes, that he will not get your soul.”

“Is that all I am? A gift or the terms of a deal?” Caroline whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that no was not the time. She should not be focusing on the fact that Klaus’s arms felt warm around her body or pulsing need of something deep inside her wanting to reach out to him. She could feel his mark lingering in her bones, itching for her to take him again.

“What you are is something I was not expecting.” His voice was lower than before and his eyes held a vulnerability that she was not prepared for. She began to realize that this was more than just a deal to him, that his word was more than just holding his end of the bargain. Klaus genuinely cared for her and would do anything to keep her safe. “Once, you were nothing more than an interesting child that was a part of a deal. Now, you’re Caroline and I find I care what happens to you.”

“But is being Caroline worth it?” Tears pooled in her eyes and that feeling of guilt resurfaced. She knew that Klaus could feel her emotions and the never ending roller-coaster that she felt she was on. Nothing but pain filled her soul and she wondered what demon would even want that. “Two people are dead because of me. Because of that spell Bonnie and I did.”

“Yes. I know.” Klaus soothed, sending a wave of comforting emotions through her but it was not enough to satisfy her guilt. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “They died because the cacodemon slipped through the cracks but the Shadows had already chosen them so their blood would stain the earth below, marking Mystic Falls for Mikael’s decent.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? That they were going to die anyway?” Caroline let out a hysterical laugh, for she felt that there was nothing else for her to do. Matt had always been kind of her. Sweet. April was possibly the nicest person the world had ever seen. Neither of them deserved to die to appease some demon. “And what of Stephen? My father? Cami’s letter said she found my dad’s death to be strange.”

“Your stepfather was nothing more than collateral damage. He was going to tell you everything he knew, and the coven decided that since you were not raised in their ranks, it would be easier to keep you ignorant. The coven had you in their grasps and where they wanted you. Alone. They did not know about my mark yet, neither did the Shadows. I made sure to mark you in a place that the shadows could not seek you out. I had hoped that they would be blind for it for a bit longer but then they touched you in the cemetery, realizing that they could sense me on you. So, they sent a cacodemon after you while you were in Georgia.”

“How? I thought you said that they couldn’t come unless there was a doorway or something?” She looked up at Klaus again with a confused expression. The world of magic, demons and human sacrifices made no sense to her. Was it only a few weeks ago that she was nothing more than a fact checker at a small-town paper? And now she was faced with not only her death, but where her soul would spend the rest of eternity. Caroline felt as though her entire world was spinning out of control and that her body was operating on overload.

“For a cacodemon to be on the surface yes, but the Shadows are made of pure dark magic. They can do things that a cacodemon cannot.” Klaus pulled away from her and looked around the shop again. Caroline could sense that he was not one for sharing anything with another person. Yet, Freya from the painting was still whispering but Caroline did not know if her demonic voice was meant to sooth her or keep Klaus in line. “They transported you into the astral plan, but only for a short while. Long enough for the cacodemon to rip the mark from you but before Mikael learned of your presence there.”

“And my father?”

“He had something they wanted. You.” Klaus looked down at the frozen Bonnie and tucked her brown hair behind her ear. Caroline could feel Klaus’s mind reeling in the back of her thoughts, but she remained silent. “I watched in the shadows. Waiting for the time when I would be needed arrived. Bill Forbes was not about to let his daughter be sacrificed in the name of Mikael. So, they removed him. There was no need to do so in a blood bath for they had time before you became the right age. Twenty years almost to the day of the last sacrifice. It was almost poetic that Bill died around the same time of year.”

“I thought you said you didn’t know what happened to him.” Caroline bit out, memories of the night in Georgia when she saw him in the mirror for the first time. Klaus had told her that he did not know what had caused her father’s death. She pushed away from him, the feeling of dried tears staining her face. “You lied to me and you let him die. You could have stopped it. You could have let him live but you did nothing!”

“Humans grow ill and die everyday Caroline.” Klaus told her in a bored tone, not even a tiny bit bothered by her accusation. “I assumed at the time that he had gotten sick and perished just like you had. I had no reason to think otherwise. Even if I had suspected their involvement, I would not have prevented it.”

“Bastard!” Caroline felt a wave of hot fury course through her, a mixture of anger at the thought of her father dying needlessly in such an excruciating way and Klaus’s irritation at the term ‘bastard’ pulsed through her all at once. Caroline picked up a book from the table beside her and tossed it, but the book froze in the middle of the air. Klaus stood beside the book and looked at it curiously before stepping in front of Caroline again.

“My deal was to protect you, Sweetheart. Just you. Not anyone else. I do believe that this is the second time I’ve had to tell you that.” Klaus turned away from her and walked over to the picture again. “I have marked you as mine and Mikael cannot touch what does not belong to him. Since I marked you myself, etched myself into your skin and bones, the burn mark on your shoulder given to you by his servants is nothing more than a flesh wound in comparison.”

“Yay me. Two demons etched onto me. Aren’t I lucky?”

“Elijah and Rebekah have each carved a pentagram onto every entrance of your home.” Klaus continued, ignoring the sarcasm in her voice as though she had not spoken at all. “No one but myself and those with my blood can enter. The Shadows, demons and anything else made of nightmares cannot touch you there. You should be safe. I should have done it sooner, but I had thought I had more time. It appears the ritual is fast approaching and the coven is aware of my involvement. They are going to be ruthless in their pursuit.”

“And what now? What do we do next?”

“We wait.”

“We do nothing. Seriously? Bonnie said that I am set to die in one week and you want me to sit around and do nothing!” Caroline’s voice grew to a pitch that she was sure could break glass if the world around her was not frozen. “Two people have died to cleanse Mystic Falls in some blood ritual and I’m next on the list, so sue me if I’m not just about to sit back and be led to the slaughter.”

“Three people.”

“What!” Caroline looked at him confused. Her first thought went to Matt and April’s daughter but remembered that police officer consoling Vicky, ensuring her that her niece was safe and out of harm’s way. Her stomach dropped and dread filled her person. “Do you mean that someone else is going to die? Who?”

“No. Someone has already died.” Caroline shook her head, trying to remember if anyone else had died recently that would have caught her attention and yet she was coming up blank. “It would have been about nine or so years ago. Something tragic and bloody. The halfway mark between sacrifices. Think.”

Caroline racked her brain of where she was nine years ago. She would have been fifteen and just starting high school. Hayley would have made the cheerleading squad while Caroline did not even bother trying out, knowing that they all thought her crazy. She would have started dating Damon, despite Stefan’s complete protest in the matter. She had sex in the back of Damon’s Camaro and cried on the phone to Cami hours after it happened. They fought all the time until….

“Lillian Salvatore stepped in front of a bus. She died. Witness said that her body was in pieces and it took them days to get all her blood off the concrete.” Caroline said in a monotone voice. Damon dumped her shortly after his mother’s death and Caroline remembered feeling relieved. While Lillian never showed any affection for her, Caroline did mourn her death for the simple fact that both Damon and Stefan were broken up about it. “Some say it was a suicide while others claim an accident.”

“More like the Shadows told her to kill herself. The Shadows can be convincing, especially if the victim was weak minded.” Klaus told her and Caroline remembered how Lillian always seemed to be a bit on unreasonable side. She remembered her father once commenting on how Lillian seemed to a bit shy of a full deck of cards. There was something missing in her and she bordered on the line between intelligence and lunacy.

“I’m going to be sick.” Caroline replied as the bile rolled in her stomach. She felt as though her entire life was a long grooming session for this moment. Each move she made was calculated and weighed by several faceless people, waiting in the darkness for her time to come. “I don’t understand. Why me? Why is this happening to me? Why are all these people dying because of me?”

Caroline wrapped her arms around herself and rocked on the heels of her feet. Tears streamed down her face as she though on everything Klaus had told her. The specifics confused her and seemed muddled in her mind. All she knew was that multiple people had died, all in preparation for her own death. Caroline had searched for a reason as to what the Shadows were and why they were coming after her, but it only spun more questions. Unlike the desire she had felt before to seek out answers, Caroline was fearful of the answers she would find.

She thought back on the day she learned of Cami’s death. Everything seemed to come back to her aunt and a deal she made long before Caroline could understand what was happening to her. Caroline thrived on control but never felt more out of control in her life. She did not know what to do or what to feel and her first thought and reaction was to pick up the phone to tell Aunt Cami about it, in hopes that she would make everything better.

But Caroline couldn’t do that.

Because Cami was dead. The realization that Cami sold herself in order to protect Caroline from an eternity of torment at the hands of Mikael, only to know that she was going to be suffering it herself in Klaus’s domain made Caroline both love and hate her aunt all at once. She was angry that Cami was willing to die, even if it meant giving Caroline the best chance at survival.

“Caroline.” Klaus was beside her, Caroline not realizing that he had moved. He placed his hand on the small of her back, tracing small circles with his thumb. Memories of the night she first met him surfaced. She remembered how charming and witty he had been at the bar, showing her sympathy at the news of her aunt’s untimely death. She did not miss the irony now. She wanted to be angry at Klaus for taking Cami’s soul and part of her still was, but she found that she was angrier with Cami, who Caroline would give anything to be with her right now. “I give you my word that I will protect you. I will not allow Mikael to have you.”

“Don’t you’re vows usually come with a price tag? Some deal to be made?” She had meant it to be humorous and she did laugh, but it was not the type of laugh that inspired confidence. It was a laugh that was given when there was nothing else to do. A hopeless laugh to fill void that threatened to tear her apart. Caroline could feel her sanity wavering so when the idea of a deal struck her, she decided that she really had nothing else to lose. “So, let’s do that. I want to make a deal.”

“What?”

“You want to save me, right? Then let’s make a deal.” Caroline turned to look at him head on; her blue eye narrowed in determination. “Mikael can’t have my soul if I sell it to someone else. Let Cami go and allow her to find peace, and you can have my soul. You marked it already so what is the harm in offering you the entire thing?”

“You want to sell me your soul in exchange for letting your aunt’s go?” Klaus asked her, his expression completely unreadable. Caroline nodded in confirmation. The look of complete disbelief lingering on Klaus’s face already told Caroline what his answer was going to be. “No.”

“Why not?! Is my soul not good enough for you?”

“Sweetheart, I’m not making a deal with you.”

“It would solve the problem, wouldn’t it? Mikael can’t have something that is owned by someone else. I’m probably already destined for hell anyway for having sex with you so what harm will selling my soul do?”

“No Caroline-“

“Why-“

“Because I want you to give me your soul on your own violation without strings attached!” The words rushed out of Klaus’s mouth in a rush and by the wave of shock radiating through Caroline, she could sense that it was not her own she felt. It was clear that Klaus had not meant to confess such a thing, but it left Caroline staring at him with wide and confused eyes. “Mikael will not have your soul. I will see to it.”

Before Caroline could reply, Klaus vanished in cloud of thick black smoke that lingered behind. The world around her began to right itself as the candles began to flicker again and the person outside the shop began to walk in the brisk pace as though nothing unusual had happened. The book that was still floating in midair dropped and hit the floor was a loud thump, starting a now unfrozen Bonnie. Bonnie looked around the shop in confusion and even Caroline could feel the erratic beating of her heart.

“What happened?” Bonnie turned to Caroline. “You were stepped into the middle of the circle, started shouting and now you’re standing practically across the room…. Shit!” Bonnie leapt to her feet as Caroline’s body began to shake in sobs. Her knees gave out and she crumbled to the ground as the tears flowed through her again. Bonnie leaned down and took Caroline into her arms, rocking her from side to side. “Shh, I have you. It’s going to be okay. We will figure it out. I promise.”

The moment Klaus vanished in a cloud of smoke, everything hit Caroline at once. The grief, fear and devastation all came rushing back. She felt as though a cinderblock had been dropped onto her and that she would never be able to recover from this. Everything that she had learned in the last few hours was too much to handle. The entire world shifted on its access and all the dreams Caroline had could very well come to an end.

Caroline did not want to die but was terrified that her life was coming to an end.

“Klaus was here. We talked.” Caroline told Bonnie when her tears calmed down. She wiped her nose on her sweater in a very unladylike manner, not caring about the grossness of it in the slightest. “He explained the deaths to me, about how Matt and April were needed for the sacrifice, and Lillian Salvatore. He said something about their deaths preparing to Mikael’s decent?”

“Mikael is a demon who is bound to the underworld. I don’t know what happened to cause it, but he cannot walk upon the surface unless blood has been spilt in his name over time. My mother used to watch for strange deaths surrounding Mystic Falls. For a while I always thought that it was such a strange hobby of hers. That is until my Grams died, and everything started to make some semblance of sense.”

“When I was a teenager, my boyfriend’s mother jumped in front of a bus. It was the most tragic thing the town had ever seen. At least it was until this morning.” Another round of sympathy washed through her, but this time it was for Damon and Stefan. Lillian was a hard woman but that did not mean she deserved to die in such a manner; nor did Damon and Stefan deserve to lose their mother. “And here I thought my mother being brutally murdered and my father dying of cancer was bad enough. Although apparently, my father’s death was also connected to this madness. I never thought I’d wish that my father’s death was so human as cancer.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My dad died five years ago of cancer. Or at least that is what we thought. Klaus thinks he was killed off because he was guarding me. Get him out of the way in order to have easier access to me. Give him a harsh, slow death in order to not draw suspicion I guess.” Caroline gave that humorless laugh again, knowing that she was on the verge of crying. “I don’t know why, it’s not like he would have been able to stop them anyway.”

“Cancer? You said your dad died of cancer?”

“That’s what I had always thought. I suppose I was wrong.” Caroline turned to look at Bonnie, who appeared startled. Her brown eyes were wide and confused. She let go of Caroline and sat down on the floor next to her. Caroline studied the young wiccan, trying to gather what it was that could be bothering her. She did not know Bonnie well but even she could tell that something was wrong. “Bonnie? What is it?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” The words came out in a rush that even Caroline could tell that she was not being honest. Something was bothering her, and it caused Caroline to have a pit of worry in her stomach. “Look, we will figure something out. At least Klaus explained a few things and maybe we can try and come up with a spell or something. Maybe I can cleanse you. See if I can take the mark away or something.”

“No.” Caroline shook her head, worry filled her and everything she had known was already turned upside down. She realized that trusting Bonnie might not have been the best choice. All Caroline knew that there were people in the world who wanted to hurt her. The Shadows, cacodemons and demons were one thing; real, living and breathing humans being the monsters felt like something completely different. If anything, they were even more terrifying. “I have to go.”

“What? Caroline-“Caroline stood from the ground and walked back into the kitchen of the store. She grabbed her bag, keys and phone. Before Bonnie could even follow her, she already had returned to the store front. “What are you doing?”

“I need to leave.”

“Caroline!” Bonnie called after her, but Caroline paid her no mind as she left the store, not even feeling guilty for not helping Bonnie clean up the mess they had made of her shop. Perhaps it was the paranoia working its way into her brain, but she found that she could not trust a single soul. Not one. There were people out there that wanted her dead and Caroline suddenly felt foolish to ever have been alone with Bonnie. 

Caroline walked towards her car, looking over her shoulder the entire way. She rarely stopped and her brisk pace was far faster than a normal human should have been able to do. Another side effect of her mark with Klaus she supposed. Her fast pace didn’t help with the constant feeling that she was being watched. She had always felt the Shadows lingering in the darkness around her, watching her.

But this was different.

She looked into each face the past, wondering if they were a follower of Mikael. Where they helping pave the way for her death? Did they brutally kill Matt and April only hours earlier? When Caroline reached her car, she slipped inside and locked the doors before putting the key into the ignition. As she drove, she almost hoped to see Klaus sitting in the back seat, but there was silence from him again. At least this time she knew it was not out of anger.

Klaus’s confession took them both by surprise and Caroline did not know what to think on it. She knew that her plea to sell her soul was only done in the heat of the moment, born out of desperation to find a way out of the predicament she found herself in. She did not want to sell her soul, not really; even if it did mean allowing Cami to find peace and she was thankful that Klaus did not take her up on her offer.

But Klaus did want her soul, but he wanted to her to give it to him outside of a deal. She felt the mark inside her flare up at the thought, itching to summon him and mark Klaus as her own. His confession was confusing and intense, something Caroline just did not know what to make of it. Was desiring her soul a demon’s way of say that he wanted her?

Caroline shook her head as she pulled up to her house, tossing all thoughts of Klaus, death and murder from her mind. She wanted nothing more than to be left alone. She unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of her car, bolting for the front door. She ran up her porch steps and quickly unlocked her front door; the pentagram shining on the wood. Klaus promised that nothing could cross this threshold. She all but jumped through the door, slamming the door behind her and locking it. She leaned against the door, listening to her empty house.

For the first time in weeks, Caroline finally felt safe in her own home.


	13. Epitaph of the Past

The house was silent. Eerily silent. Caroline had not left her own home in days, not even to set a foot out onto the front porch. She spoke to no one, outside a few text messages with Elena, but Caroline completely isolated herself away from the rest of the world. She wanted to see no one and watch the grief flow through the town due to Matt and April’s death. The guilt that Caroline carried was massive and seeing the rest of the town grief would only intensify it.

Yet, it was the fear that drove her to stay put. She checked each and every door and window of her home and there were small pentagrams on each, deeply carved into the fresh white paint. They would be completely unnoticeable unless one was actively looking for it. Caroline had never felt safer in her own home than she had since those pentagrams had been carved. She knew they were Klaus’s marks and that only he would be able to cross the threshold.

The silence that lingered in her home, made Caroline realize how occupied by the Shadows and other entitles it had always been. She realized that she had never been truly alone, that the Shadows followed her from New Orleans to Mystic Falls when she was nothing more than a child. She wondered if her father and Stephen could feel the evil that was occupying their home? In a moment of clarity, she realized that Hayley could. Hayley always knew that something was wrong, even as a child Hayley sensed that something just was not right with Caroline.

And she was right.

Caroline was haunted.

Caroline walked around her quiet kitchen and placed a kettle on the stove as she listened to the silence. She went through the motions of making tea in order to offset the chill that morning air brought. Autumn was here and Caroline wondered if this would be the last time she got to see the trees change color or listen to the crackle of a bonfire against the setting sun. Caroline could think of nothing more than her impending death and the deaths that were caused simply because she came to Mystic Falls.

She continued to go through the motions, pouring her tea into a mug and staring out at her backyard through the kitchen window. Her thoughts straying to Klaus, his confession and everything he had told three days prior in Bonnie’s magic shop. Bonnie had called and texted, but Caroline ignored her. She wanted to see no one and by the presence in the back of her mind, she knew that Klaus was giving her space; or being to cowardly to face her.

_Because I want you to give me your soul on your own violation without strings attached!_

“What does that even mean?” Caroline muttered aloud to the empty room. Klaus’s chuckle echoed in the back of her head, telling her that he was listening, and Caroline could only roll her eyes. “Seriously? If you’re going to laugh at me then the least, you could do is come out and give me a straight answer.”

Caroline nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand press against the small of her back. Her head snapped to look over her shoulder and saw Klaus’s face peering down at her. His lips were curled into a gentle smile that took Caroline aback. This was not the smug demon she had come to know. Replaced was the man who first captured her attention that night at the bar, the man who convinced her to fall into his bed.

“I suppose that my confession took us both by surprise, Sweetheart.” Klaus muttered as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Feeling the pressure of his lips against the crown of her hair sent a wave of comfort through her. “I was very angry at you. Anger. An emotion that I am very familiar with, but the anger I felt that was directed at you for that foolish stunt you pulled with the witch was new. Intense.” Caroline leaned back against him as he wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her close. “It seems that you evoke emotions that I had not felt in millenniums.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I fancy you.” Caroline nearly dropped her mug of tea in the sink at his confession. She sat the mug, that still had steam rolling off it, on the counter and turned to gaze into the grey-blue eyes that she realized were impossibly old. The expression she wore was one of complete disbelief and by the amused chuckle he gave, Klaus could see it written on her face. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Because you’re You! And I’m me!” Caroline all but waved her hands around as though gesturing to the air would make her point. Klaus quirked his eyebrow at her in question. “You’re a demon whose only interest in me is to fulfill a deal you made with my aunt. And I’m nothing more than a cursed woman who is set to die in a few days’ time.”

“I stopped being interested in your solely for the deal a very long time ago.” Klaus whispered, he reached up and rested his hand against her cheek. Caroline almost wanted to feel ashamed for reacting to his touch. She wanted to blame it on the bond and the connection it created but she knew better. The inhuman strength, shared emotions and his lingering voice were all side effects of the mark, but Caroline knew what she was feeling was more than that. “You are not some requirement of a deal I must meet. Not anymore.”

“When did it change? The night you slept with me? Or is it because you’re in my head?” Caroline did not know why she was whispering. No one else could hear them. They were completely alone and much like the night she laid in his bed, Caroline could feel her heartbeat increase at how close his body was to hers.

“Long before then.” His thumb traced her cheekbone and Caroline turned her head slightly in order to kiss the palm of his hand. Everything that had happened in the last few weeks, Klaus was becoming the only thing that kept her grounded. Whether or not it was the fact that death could be coming to knock on her door soon made her realize just how much Klaus comforted her; almost as much as he infuriated her. “Let me show you.

Klaus leaned down and brought his lips to touch hers. The kiss was deep and passionate. Klaus’s tongue ran along the bottom of her lip and Caroline granted him access. Their lips mingled for a moment as Klaus reached up and touched the temple of her head. He gently massaged her hairline until Caroline felt the world slowly fade away

_Caroline found herself standing outside her home, but it was not the same as it had been during the last few years. The paint did not chip as it did now and there was something almost brighter about it. The shutters were a freshly painted yellow and the garden Stephen had once loved was perfectly tended to. The weather was warmer; late summer heat beat down upon them instead of the cool October breeze that greeted her that morning when she woke._

_Klaus gripped her hand and lead her around the house to see a much younger Stephen standing on the porch with a young girl by his side. A car door shut, pulling Caroline’s attention to her father who was climbing out of an old car and opening the back door, a pair of grey-blue eyes reflected in the window’s reflection. Caroline watched as a four-year-old version of herself appeared, glancing up at the house with hesitation in her eyes. The young girl from the porch ran down the steps towards young Caroline and the older version was started to see the wide smile on the girl’s face._

_“You’re Caroline. I’m Hayley! My dad says we’re going to be sisters.” Young Hayley grabbed young Caroline by the hand and started pulling her towards the house in excitement, while young Caroline still gazed at the house with a weary expression. “We’re sharing a room and it is going to be so much fun! Like a never-ending sleepover!”_

_Time began to speed up and Caroline could see the clouds passing overhead in an almost rapid manner. Klaus walked towards the small house and was guiding Caroline towards her childhood home. She watched as her father and Stephen made dinner and then in an instant, they were reading in the living room. They all moved in a fast pace, blurring past them as Klaus and Caroline climbed the stairs to the second story. When they reached the bedroom, Caroline had once shared with Hayley, time slowed again._

_Young Caroline and Hayley were curled up on the bed together, holding one another in fear. Hayley was crying while Caroline just glared at the corner of the room. The older Caroline turned her head and saw them. The Shadows dancing along the wall, almost as though they were claiming the house as their brand-new playground._

_“What are they!? What do they want with us?” Hayley cried out, tears sliding down her face. Young Caroline gripped her hand and pulled her close but never once stopped staring at the figures dancing against the pale pink room. The Shadows chuckled and laughed in a cruel manner._

_“We don’t want you, little girl. We want her. We’re friends.” The eerie whispers of the Shadows made Caroline’s skin crawl. She leaned into Klaus as she watched the scene unfold before her. Hayley whipped around at young Caroline and pushed her away, causing the little girl to nearly topple from the bed. Hayley scrambled from the covers and dashed to her own bed on the other side of the room, far away from the Shadows as she possibly could get._

_“You brought them here!! This is your fault! You freak!” Hayley screamed out loudly, but young Caroline paid her no mind, instead she stood from her bed and moved to stand in front of the Shadows directly. Her small hands were balled into fists and Caroline could the child version of herself shaking in terror._

_“Go away! Leave me alone! I don’t want to be friends with you!”_

_The scene then shifted and morphed into something new. Time sped and slowed down all at once until Caroline found herself standing in an old playground, she had not stepped foot in since she was a small child. She could see herself sitting alone on a swing while other children played around her._

_A young boy no older than six approached her and Caroline could feel her heart begin to pulse. Another memory of hers but it was from the wrong angle. Her hand was still firmly in Klaus’s, but he jerked his head away from the swings towards the elaborate jungle-gym. A large round mirror was welded to the jungle-gym and just inside of it, Caroline could see another version of Klaus standing there, watching._

_“Why are you playing all alone?” The boy said to her younger self. The small girl turned to gaze at the boy while the Klaus in the mirror watched the scene unfold with a cocked head. Caroline could see the curiosity in his eyes and wondered how often he had been lingering in her life, just out of sight._

_“Because no one wants to play with me.” The young Caroline told him in a soft voice. Her eyes flickered to a group of girls playing just on the other side of the playground. Hayley was whispering in Elena’s ear and both girl’s eyes flickered over to Caroline. Elena shook her head and said something while Hayley just narrowed her eyes at her friend._

_“I’ll play with you.” The boy replied and held out his hand. “I’m Stefan and we can be best friends!”_

_“I’m Caroline.”_

_The clouds moved faster and faster again. The Klaus that stood beside her took her into his arms. Caroline went willingly and knew to close her eyes as a thick black smoke engulfed them. Caroline felt weightless and cold as she felt the world around her fade away. It only lasted a second before she felt her feet touch the ground again. She pulled away from Klaus and could hear the familiar sound of jazz could be heard._

_The small creole cottage that Caroline had always considered her second home was before her. Like a bat out of hell, Caroline ran up the porch steps and reached for the doorknob but found that she did not need to touch it. This was nothing more than a memory and Caroline was able to step directly through the door without having to open it. A twelve-year-old Caroline sat on her aunt’s sofa with the strap of her tank-top down. Cami sat behind her applying a cream against the bright red brand on her shoulder, twitching as the cream touched the mark._

_“Hold still. The cream will not help if you do not allow me to apply it.” Cami told her and the sound of her aunt’s voice sent a shock wave through her. She had forgotten how calm Cami always seemed; and gentle. Learning everything that she had been involved in was jarring next to the memory of her aunt she had always known._

_“I’m sorry! It just burns.” Caroline moaned, while the adult version of her pulled away from the scene, looking at every window and mirror, searching. Her Klaus was watching her with a proud smirk on his face, knowing that she had caught on to what he was trying to show her. In the small hallway that lead to the kitchen, there was a mirror that hung on the wall. Just inside, Caroline could see another version of Klaus leaning against the frame, gazing at the mark on the young Caroline’s shoulder._

_“I’m sorry, Honey. I really am. If I could make it go away, I would.”_

_“I hate this stupid scar. It hurts at random times and every time I see it; I remember mom.” Cami turned Caroline around and pulled her into her arms, allowing the young girl to rest her head against her shoulder. The Klaus in the mirror straightened and peered at the young girl, no longer focusing on the scar. “I remember trying to save her. I tried so hard to get her to wake up, but she never did.”_

_“You were here.” Caroline who stood in the hallway said, turning to face her own Klaus. Klaus’s expression was blank, but Caroline could see the lingering insecurity behind his stormy pupils. He was trying to tell her something, but her mind was running empty one what his message was. “You were always here. Weren’t you? Watching and waiting. Why?”_

_“At first, it was to ensure that the Shadows never touched you.” Klaus whispered as the version of himself in the mirror vanished. “The trick with the mirrors was just so they could not sense me. The darker the magic the coven practiced, the more they bred. The more of them, the more eyes Mikael had on the surface. It was a trick I had learned a long time ago and I realized that when appearing in the mirrors, they did not know I was there.”_

_“At first? What changed?”_

_“I hated seeing you cry.” Klaus grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him again. The sensation of being pushed and pulled engulfed her again before her feet landed on the ground again. Opening her eyes, she found herself standing inside her bedroom that she had as a teenager. When both Hayley and Caroline grew older, Stephen made the wise decision to separate them because they would fight constantly, and Caroline had been happy to finally have her own space._

_Caroline was jerked from her thoughts as a fifteen-year-old version of herself slammed the bedroom door and dived onto her bed, tears streaming down her face. Caroline did not need a reminder of what this night held for her. The teenager reached for her phone and dialed, listening to it ring for a few moments._

_“Aunt Cami?”_

_“Honey, what is it? What’s wrong?” Caroline could hear Cami’s muffled voice coming from the end of the old silver flip-phone. She turned away from her past self and looked towards the mirror leaning against the wall. Another version of Klaus was standing in it and the expression on his face was furious._

_“I did something stupid.” The teenaged Caroline sobbed into the phone, but the older Caroline could not take her eyes from the mirror, not missing how Klaus’s fingers gripped the frame as though he was about to tear it to shreds. “I had sex with Damon. I shouldn’t have done it. God. I hate myself. I’m so stupid.”_

_“Caroline, listen to me…” Cami’s voice trailed off into the background while the interlopers gazed at the mirror. That Klaus grew angrier and angrier and for a moment, Caroline thought as though she could feel the earth shake beneath her feet. The sky darkened outside and a crack of thunder landed just outside Caroline’s window. She remembered the storm that followed that night and suddenly it made sense._

_“You were angry.”_

_“I was more than angry.” Klaus whispered behind her. “He made you cry, and I almost did something reckless. I went after him. Made him crash his car with the full intent of him not surviving but by some divine intervention, the bastard survived. It was good that he did, for it might have drawn attention to my presence and sucking his soul from his body would have done such a thing.”_

_“Wait- Damon’s soul belongs to you? What?”_

_“No. It doesn’t. Does not mean I wouldn’t have forcefully taken it anyway. It would have been painful for him. Either way, he survived, and the world is worse off for it.” Klaus shrugged as though the concept of murder and eternal torment was nothing to him. “Although, I’ll admit, I liked him better than his brother. At least he is interesting. Come with me.”_

_Caroline took ahold of him and he led her back down the stairs, this time into the living room as time spread up around them at a rapid pace. Furniture was being pushed around, changing to fit a bed in the living room. Time slowed and Caroline knew exactly what this scene held. Caroline did not need a refresher as to what she was about to see_

_“No. Please not this. Please.”_

_“You were not alone. Not once. I was here.” Klaus whispered to her as Caroline looked around her. Stephen leaned against a wall with a now cold mug of coffee in his hands. Hayley was curled up on the couch with her knees pressed to her chest; tears streaming down her face. Tyler and Elena were sitting on the steps, gazing into the living room while Stefan spoke in low tones to the hospice nurse. But Caroline could not stop gazing at herself. Nineteen years old, clutching her recently dead father’s hand, wailing as though her heart had been torn from her chest._

_Fresh tears fell down Caroline’s cheeks as she looked into the gaunt face of her dead father. His jaw was slacked open and his body at an odd angle, as he tried to move and reach for something in his last moments. She wanted to ask Klaus if he knew what he had seen but she thought better of it. In that moment, Caroline felt she already knew too much of death. She turned as saw Klaus’s reflection standing in the window. There was a mirror in the room, but he hid in the glass of the window._

_“It was closer to you.” Her Klaus whispered in her ear. “I couldn’t reach and touch you, but this was as close as I could get. By this point I was already in too deep. Seeing your heart completely broken bothered me and emotions I could not place had bubbled to the surface. You no longer were that fascinating child who intrigued me but morphed into something I was not expecting.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“It stopped being about the deal I made with your aunt. At least, for me. I still had to hold up my end, but I was no longer doing so because I was obligated. I was doing it because the mere thought of your soul belonging to a beast such as Mikael was abhorrent.” Caroline moved to open her mouth, but Klaus placed his finger on her lips. “I could not release Cami from her obligation, it does not work that way. The only way Cami’s soul would not be collected was if I did not intend to follow through on my end of the bargain.”_

_Klaus leaned down and kissed the tears that were still slowly flowing from her eyes. Caroline closed them, letting herself feel Klaus’s lips on her skin. She felt the world fall away and could sense the black smoke surrounding her. When she opened her eyes, she expected to be back home but instead she found herself standing beside her old desk at the newspaper. The version of herself she saw was only a few weeks younger and wore an expression of pure terror. Her hand was gripped on a hot cup of coffee._

_The standing Caroline turned to look towards the blank wall, seeing the Shadows dancing against the white paint. Her coworkers walked by, oblivious to what they were seeing; chatting about the mundane moments of their lives and how the weather was slowly cooling down. Caroline stood from her desk, not hearing them but approached the wall. Like a switched turned off inside her, Caroline watched as another version of herself threw the hot cup of coffee at the wall; the mug shattering into dozens of little pieces and hot coffee staining the wall._

_“Leave me alone! I don’t want you here! Leave me be!” The past Caroline screamed, drawing the shocked attention of her coworkers but the present Caroline searched the room; ignoring their faces. This time she found him in a picture frame that held old articles that hung on the wall. His face was concerned and worried, clearly bothered by what he was seeing._

_“This was the moment I knew that it had begun. The Shadows made themselves known to you again, meaning they were growing stronger. The coven was preparing for the sacrifice and it meant that I must prepare to mark you.” Klaus paused and Caroline could see the confliction written on his face, as though he did not know what exactly he should say. “I could have fulfilled the mark completely, binding your soul to me in an unbreakable vow but I found myself unable to do so.”_

_“I don’t understand. What do you mean in an unbreakable vow?” Caroline whispered, ignoring the scene of her coworkers rushing around her; worried glances passing between them all. She already lived this once and Caroline found that she did not need to relive that embarrassment again. “Take me back. Just. I don’t want to be here anymore.”_

_Klaus nodded and leaned forward. Caroline had expected that he would pull her into his arms and morphed the time in his memories but instead his lips brushed hers again. The kiss was deep and penetrating. There was something more than lust lingering behind the kiss, and Caroline wonder if it was demonic magic that made her heart flutter or if it was something else completely._

When Caroline opened her eyes and broke the kiss, she was standing back in her kitchen. She glanced at the clock on the stove. Not a single moment had passed and yet for Caroline it felt as though an hour at least had happened. She found that she would never grow used to magic, especially to that magnitude that Klaus was able to manipulate it. She shook herself and turned to look at Klaus again, whose eyes had never left her face.

“The vow? What do you mean?”

“The night you and I had sex,” Klaus purred, the corners of his lips turned upright, and Caroline felt herself flush at the memory of the sinful things he had done to her body. “I poured apart of myself into you. I etched my demonic mark onto your very soul. If you were to die while my mark was engraved on your very bones, your soul would come to me. Thus, keeping you out of Mikael’s grasps.”

“But I would still have to die.” Caroline’s voice was low, and she wrapped her arms around herself. The thought of her impending death was something that plagued Caroline since the realization of the sacrifice meant was revealed to her. “I don’t want to die.”

“Neither do I.” Klaus placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them in comfort before bringing her towards him in order to kiss the top of her head. “Marking you was a precaution incase the worse happened. It is temporary and will fade with time, unless I deepen the mark again.”

“Meaning we would have to have sex again.” Caroline retorted and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She would not lie and state the that prospect would be unpleasant. Klaus was fantastic in bed and there were times when she imagined what it was like to have him between her legs. However, he was a demon and Caroline did not know what having sex with one meant for her soul. “Great. Everything always comes back to sex doesn’t it? Even with demons?”

“Not everything.” Klaus shrugged. “Yes, the sex between us was brilliant and I very much want to be inside you again, but it would require for you to complete the ritual. You must be the one to ignite it. You must lay your claim upon me in order to seal the bond between us. If you do not, then my mark will slowly fade. If we complete the bond then your soul will belong to me for all eternity, but mine will be yours in return.”

“Is that something you want? Do you want to wear my mark on your skin? To know that I belong to you?” Caroline asked him and she could see his eyes darken at the thought. The idea of being his did terrify her but the thought of him belonging to her someone terrified her even more. “Do you want to belong to me? For all of eternity?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I’m nothing special. I’m just Caroline. The resident town crazy person.”

“You’re so much more than that.” Klaus whispered. “I have watched you grow and become this fearless woman who always relied on herself. I was with you during every heartache and even in the moments of happiness, I was with you. Suddenly, it no longer became about the deal I made with your aunt but just, about keeping you safe.” Unable to help himself, Klaus leaned down again to take her lips with his, as though he wanted to convey something important. There was a fire behind his kiss and Caroline could not help but feel her returning the passion. The message he was sending was clear enough that when she broke away, she understood that Klaus meant every word he said to her.

“Oh.” Caroline replied, her lips red from his kiss and her mind reeling with everything he just confessed to her. She reached out and touched his chest, her first curling into his Henley and bringing herself closer to him. Klaus opened his arms and pulled her into a warm embrace. Caroline did not know if it was the mark or her own feelings but being in his arms felt right. She felt safe and for the first time in a very long time, Caroline felt loved.

Strange that it came from a demon of all beings.

“There was something about you that entrapped me from the first memory your aunt showed me, and I knew that I could not let Mikael tarnish your soul. Then as you grew and I got to know you, I knew that for the first time, there was someone I was willing to sell my own soul to.”

“And the mark?”

“Was a failsafe. A very pleasurable failsafe.” Caroline could not help but snort at the implication and she shook her head at the lewd smirk on Klaus’s lips. “I have every intention of keeping you safe, healthy and alive. The deal was to prevent you from having the same _fate_ as your mother, your life was irrelevant, but I want you to live Caroline. I want you to have a full life. I want you to travel the world and become that journalist you always dreamed to be.” Klaus gave a slight chuckle and smiled at her. “I once considered making it happen for you, but I knew that you wanted to make it on your own. I imagined the scolding you would have given me once you learned my interference, so I refrained.”

“You better well have!” Caroline turned and looked up into his face with the full intent of giving him such a scolding for having the mere thought of bending the world to his will for her and yet, that same thought took her aback. Before her stood a powerful creature, more powerful than she had ever really known existed and he was willing to do such a thing. He cared for her deeply, that much was obvious to her know, but to the point that he imagined what she would say to him as though he imagined what their conversations would be like. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Klaus leaned down and kissed the top of her head again. “I have Elijah and Rebekah trying to track down the coven members, but they are keeping themselves shielded. Dark magic is complex and when an entire coven is using a demon as their anchor, in this case Mikael, they would have enough power to hide themselves even from demons like us. The more they practice, the more Shadows they produce, and more eyes Mikael has on the surface to prepare him for his descent.”

“I’m scared.” Caroline whispered into Klaus’s chest and she could feel his arms tighten around her. Mikael was something so foreign and yet real to her all at the same time. There mere thought of him made the scar on her shoulder burn. “If you marked me. Then what is the scar on my shoulder for? How can it still hurt?”

“It’s Mikael’s way of marking you for the sacrifice but it is not as strong as mine because he did not administer it directly. If Mikael had marked you in the same way I had, I would not have been able to lay my claim; but he cannot walk upon the surface unless his coven stains it with blood beforehand.” Caroline shuddered and tried to black out the thought of what Klaus was alluding to. “I won’t let him have you Caroline. I am doing my best to keep you safe from Mikael and his followers.”

“I know.” Before Caroline realized what, she was doing, she leaned forward and kissed the small patch of skin peeking out from the top of his Henley. “Why doesn’t he though? Why doesn’t he just come up here and mark me? You did?”

“Because he is bound to the underworld.” Klaus paused and tilted his head slightly. “There is so much you do not know about me and where I come from. Mikael and I have a long complex history and the end result of that history is that he is bound to the underworld unless blood is spilt in his name over a long period of time. Then and only then can he rise to the surface but just for a short period of time.”

“I don’t understand.”

“If there was time, I would show you, but it appears that you’re about to have a visitor.” Caroline was about to protest but a soft knock on the door pulled her from Klaus’s arms. In a second, Klaus smirked at her and vanished in a flash of thick black smoke before her eyes. Caroline scowled and shook her head, wondering if she would have been able to process any more information than she already had that day. A light chuckled in the air around her and Caroline rolled her eyes.

“Asshole.” She muttered out to the air, the chuckle only growing deeper. The concept that this immortal being felt _something_ for her made Caroline both equally terrified and desired. The few weeks that she had with Klaus, even though it was marred by the never-ending horror show that had become her life, Caroline felt more passion with him than she had the entirety of her relationship with Stefan. Caroline’s thought shifted from Stefan and Klaus as she moved towards the front door and opened it to see someone she did not expect. “Father Saltzman? What are you doing here?”

Father Alaric Saltzman was the priest of the nearest Catholic cathedral in Richmond. There were only a few people who practiced Catholicism in Mystic Falls, the majority of the town moved towards the Protestant version of Christianity, but Father Saltzman always made it his duty to check on the people of the town, regardless of their religious affiliation. He was tall with sandy brown hair, a strong jaw and light grey eyes that Caroline felt were far too judgmental than they should be. He was wearing the typical black suit with a white strip at the neck and was holding a bible in his hand.

Caroline knew that she was bitter when it came to Father Saltzman. He was very outspoken about his feelings in regard to her father and Stephen’s relationship and she still felt rather sour about it. It was one of the very few things that Hayley and Caroline had agreed upon and it was their dislike for Father Saltzman. He never attempted to get to know her father and Stephen before casting judgment upon them. Part of Caroline wanted to rub it in the priest’s face that she knew that Stephen had found peace in death even though he had a male lover, blowing all of Father Saltzman’s preconceived notions out of the window.

“I apologize for dropping by unannounced, but may I come in?” He asked in a polite tone and by the amused chuckle in the back of her mind, she could sense that Klaus was not worried about the priest in the least. If anything, he was amused. She thought on the pentagram etched onto the wood and wondered if he could even step over the threshold.

_“The pentagram keeps the demonic out and he is far to saintly to be a demon.”_ Klaus’s voice chimed in her head, amusement still rang deep and suddenly Caroline wondered exactly what Klaus thought of the religious and either or not they were right in any of their presumptions. _“Yes and no but there is no one religion that has it right. Unless you count the wiccans but that is completely different topic.”_

“Caroline?” Father Saltzman prodded and she shook her head. Clearly, she had been focusing on Klaus’s voice and not the man who was standing directly in front of her. She gave him an apologetic smile and stepped aside, allowing the priest to step over the threshold.

“Sorry, it has been a rough few weeks.”

“Yes. I’ve heard and it is why wanted to stop by.”

“Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?”

“Coffee, please.” Caroline nodded, motioning towards her living room while she went and prepared a cup of coffee for him. She could still hear Klaus’s chuckling in the back of her mind, and it took everything inside her not to scold him aloud. The last thing she wanted was for the priest in the other room to think that she is crazy. She quickly made the coffee and brought the mug of the steaming hot liquid for him to drink along with some cream and sugar. Father Saltzman was sitting on her couch, admiring a few photos on the end table. When Caroline handed him his coffee, he placed his bible down upon the coffee table and took the mug from her. “Thank you.”

“Yes. I wasn’t sure how you took it, so I figured I’d let you add anything you like.” Father Saltzman nodded and Caroline watched as he added a heavy amount of cream to his coffee but let the sugar alone. “I must admit that I wasn’t expecting you to stop by. Is there something I can do for you?”

“I was speaking with Vicki Donovan this morning about the loss of her brother and how she is settling in with her niece.” Caroline nodded, having momentarily forgotten about Vicki and how she must be handling her brother’s death. Perhaps she should go and see her, reach out but Caroline found that she could not face Vicki when deep down Caroline still felt as though she was at fault for her brother’s death.

“How is she?”

“Struggling. The baby is not sleeping, and Vicki is finding it hard to mourn for Matt and April as well as caring for their daughter. However, she seems determined to do what is best for Kelly. April’s parents have been over, and Vicki will have a lot of support.” Father Saltzman took a long sip of his coffee before speaking again. “However, as I was sitting with Vicki, she mentioned how everything in town seems to have a dark cloud over it as of late and she mentioned how you recently had two people you love die recently.”

“Yes, my aunt and Stephen both have died but I’m sure you knew that.” Caroline knew that Father Saltzman had no plans to visit her if it was not out of concern of Vicki. He could not be seen visiting one grieving family, even though they were far more upstanding than crazy Caroline and her wicked family. “My aunt died of a stroke and Stephen…well, the Atlanta police have not found out who killed him yet.”

“Yes. Cities like that are dangerous.” He replied and Caroline waited for him to say something about his lifestyle getting in the way or some other comment that would make Caroline want to strangle him. Klaus’s chuckle settled and he sent a wave of calm through her, as though to comfort her in the priest’s presence. “How are you doing? The loss of two people so close to you in such a short period of time is traumatic.”

“I’m fine.” Caroline replied with a smile that anyone could tell was false. “Elena has been coming around constantly and that is a big help.”

“Elena Salvatore?”

“Yes.”

“Sister-in-law to Stefan Salvatore? Your ex-boyfriend?”

“Yes.” Caroline replied gently. She remembered then about the altercation that occurred between Father Saltzman and Stefan a week or so back, she wondered about what could have possibly caused it. “I hope I am not being nosey, but Stefan has been going through a hard time with our breakup and I heard that the two of you exchanged words. What was it about?”

“Nothing important.” The priest’s eyes turned cold as though he was remembering something horrifying. Caroline cocked her head at him and wanted to press forward, but he appeared to have gone ridged. “It is a good thing you ended your relationship with him. Stay away from Stefan. I fear that he will not be a good match for you.”

  
“What-“

“When someone is hurting,” Father Saltzman cut her off, the conversation of Stefan clearly over as he was not willing to discuss the man further. He reached out and picked up his bible, gripping it in hand as though it was a lifeline. “I find that turning scripture and prayer is best. Now, I know you haven’t been to mass and maybe you attend church here in town, but either way, I do hope you find comfort in the Lord’s blessing.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that.” Caroline replied, trying very hard to ignore the roaring laughter in the back of her mind as Klaus’s amusement could not be contained. Clearly, the idea of Caroline, who was just kissing a demon in her kitchen moments before Father Saltzman arrived, finding peace in scripture hilarious. Caroline herself had trouble keeping her lips from turning upward at the thought.

“Sometimes, you don’t need to say anything. You just need to read.” Father Saltzman reached down and picked up the bible from the coffee table and handed it to Caroline. On instinct, she grabbed the book from his hand and several things happened at one. Klaus’s laughter in her mind stopped, Father Saltzman’s eyes grew wide and a searing pain her hands lingered on her palms as her skin touched the book. Smoke was coming from the book as it burned her skin and Caroline dropped the bible onto the couch, jumping back in pain.

“Ouch! Oh god that hurt.” Caroline screeched as she cradled her hands to her chest, pacing from the couch to the fireplace, trying to ease the pain in her hand. The priest jumped from the couch as well, stepping away from Caroline instead of trying to provide her aid. Several thoughts were flashing through her mind but before she could wrap her mind around what just transpired, the priest was speaking again.

“Demon.” Father Saltzman whispered with bulging eyes. He reached into his black coat and pulled out a wooden cross, holding it out in front of him as though Caroline was a vampire. “You have Satan in you. I can see it. You are a devil and need to be stamped out.”

“What are you doing?” Caroline shrieked as Father Saltzman advanced on her and held out the cross to press against her. She held up her arms to shield herself from him and her skin began to burn again as the small cross touched her skin. A deafening roar could be heard in the room as Klaus’s anger was unleashed, all traces of amusement gone. Caroline gripped Father Saltzman’s wrist and pushed him away from her, the cross dropping to the ground. The priest shoved back, and Caroline went tumbling backwards.

Just as her head hit against edge of her fireplace and the world went black, Caroline swore she saw a puff of black smoke and a set of angry grey-blue eyes.


	14. Stages of Understanding

_The throne was made of ash and bone. The world around her was cold and Caroline felt as though it was sinking deep into her bones. In the distance, she could hear the screaming of tortured voices. The sound was horrific and if she closed her eyes, the sound only intensified. So, she gazed at her surroundings instead. She was surrounded by tall pillars made of brimstone. The flooring was a dark echoing marble that appeared as though it was moving. The walls were made of black and white stained glass; providing a view of a world that was not one she knew._

_The sky was purple with whips of black smoke in the clouds. The city below was caught in an eternal hellfire that burned brightly and so close that Caroline though she could stretch out her hand and touch it. For a moment she wondered why she was cold if the fire was so close. She could feel it but knew that these flames were not meant for her. The flames were terrifying and if she blinked, Caroline could see eyes staring out at them._

_“Sssssouls. Ssssuch lost ssssouls.” Caroline turned towards the inhuman hissing that sounded beside her. A creature with a scaly appearance stood beside her. It was impossibly tall, hairless and had slits where his eyes should have been. She looked down and saw that the creature had no feet but a long slithering tail instead. “Fear not, for you are ssssssafe here. Nothing will happen to you. Our lord and masssster likessss you.”_

_“Is this Klaus’s domain?”_

_“Lord Niklaussssss? No. Not yet. One day.” The creature slithered away against the marble and Caroline turned to look back at the hellfire. The sound of screaming intensified and Caroline turned away, moving back to the throne. She sat down upon, refusing to admit how good it felt to claim it. Glancing around what she could only assume was a throne room, she wondered whose domain this was if it was not Klaus’s._

_“I have to admit, you do look beautiful on a throne.” Caroline turned to see Klaus appearing for her in a wisp of black smoke. His infamous smirk placed on his lips as he strolled up beside her, almost kneeling in front of the throne she sat upon. “I’m sorry for the wait. I had business to attend to.”_

_“Where are we?”_

_“Hell.” The answer was so simple that Caroline was startled. The screams and the fire all made perfect sense. The creatures that all moved in unnatural ways could only be some form of demons, ones that called Hell home. “Do not worry. You are not bound for the flames. I just needed a place where you would be safe. At least until you woke up.”_

_“What?”_

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_“I’ll visit soon. I promise.” Klaus leaned in and kissed the top of her forehead and Caroline felt the world around her change. Her body began to ach and she no longer felt in control. The screams of the torture souls faded away and the stale smell of something sterile reached her nostrils._

Caroline blinked a few at times, the brightness of the light overhead made her already pounding head hurt even worse. It was the sound of the constant beeping that first drew Caroline’s attention. The throbbing was massive, and she groaned as the more awake she became, the more the pain intensified. She brought her hand to her eyes but even they burned. She blinked again and stared down at her hands, seeing that they were bandaged.

A shuffling motion off to the side drew Caroline’s attention and she saw Elena all but jump out of the hospital chair and move towards her. She looked horrible with pale skin, deep bags under her eyes and a gaunt look that told Caroline that her friend had not been sleeping at all. The consequences of Matt and April’s death playing out before her through Elena made her pounding head hurt even worse.

“Caroline? How are you feeling?” Elena’s asked her in a gentle voice. She reached out and brushed a few strands of her hair out of her face. Caroline gave her a rough smile, but her entire face hurt in the attempt. “You gave me quite the scare. The police called me saying that you had been taken to the hospital. Father Saltzman was arrested.”

“What? I don’t-“

“He attacked you. Don’t you remember?” Caroline didn’t answer her but Elena just reached out and took her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “I guess you really did hit your head. One of your neighbors heard what sounded like screaming. With Matt and April-“ Elena choked up at the sound of their names. “With their recent murder, the neighbors were worried that something bad was happening, so they called the police. The deputies saw you on the ground, bleeding from the head and Father Saltzman was curled up in the corner, as though he was terrified by something. He isn’t saying anything. It is almost as though he had gone mute.”

_Klaus_. Caroline thought, vaguely remembering his appearance before the world went dark. Whatever he had done, must have scared Father Saltzman. She felt bad for him, wondering what exactly Klaus would have done to the poor man to cause his speech to leave him.

_He hurt you._ The words whispered in her mind and the one behind them were both sad and worried. Caroline could feel the fear of losing her course through her veins and suddenly she knew that everything he had told her about what he wanted was true. Klaus wanted her but he wanted to see her thrive. He wanted her to hand her soul over to him freely without strings attached but he did not want her to give up her life. _Human lives are short, Sweetheart, I can wait a few decades for you to join me._

“Caroline? Are you feeling okay? Your heart is racing.” Elena’s voice pulled her away from Klaus’s musings. Caroline could hear the vital machine she was hooked up to beeping furiously beside her. Klaus sent her a wave of calm and Caroline could not help but bask in the comfort, almost feeling as though he was embracing her. The monitor began to slow steadily, and Elena looked at it in confusion. “That was weird.”

“Yeah. I guess. How long have I been here?” She looked towards the window and saw that it was daylight out but that there was an orangish hue to the sky. The sun was setting, and it was about to become dark. Dread filled Caroline. If the sun was setting. She knew that she was not getting out of the hospital until the morning at least.

“A few hours. You were in and out of it for a while. The doctors want to keep you overnight. You don’t have a concussion, thank God, but they still want to monitor you to ensure nothing happens. I’ll be here in the morning to pick you up.”

“But your class?”

“That is what substitute teachers are for. Besides, I took the week off. I’ll go back to work on Monday.” Caroline nodded and gripped Elena’s hand tighter. It was obvious that she was not dealing with finding Matt and April’s bodies well, but Caroline had faith in her friend. Elena was strong and if she could survive watching her parents drown, then she would heal from this. “Do you want me to stay? I can sleep on the window seal.”

Caroline turned to the uncomfortable looking seat on the window that could be turned into a makeshift bed. Caroline had slept on those plenty of times during her father’s illness and knew how difficult it could be to get comfortable. That and nurses probably would be in and out, taking her vitals that Elena would get no rest at all.

“No. Go home. It won’t do either of us any good if you’re up all night. Get some rest okay? You look like you need it.” Caroline tried to give her a cheeky smile but even she could sense that it fell flat. Elena snorted and shook her head before squeezing her friend’s hand again. She leaned forward and kissed the top of Caroline’s head, avoiding the bandaged cut that was just below her hair line.

“Okay. You try and sleep but make sure you wake up, okay? I don’t think I could handle losing you right now.” Caroline nodded, a sense of dread filling her, reminding her of the deadline that was slowly approaching. She had been so consumed by her own impending death that she did not even think about how it would affect those around her.

Elena, who gathered her belongings and made one final goodbye before leaving the hospital room, was the only person who she thought would mourn her. She was the closets person Caroline had, and Caroline could not imagine how Elena would handle her best friend’s death. She would have Damon to console her, so it brought Caroline some comfort to know that her friend would be cared for in some regard. Maybe when she and Damon decided to finally have children, they can name their daughter after her.

Then there was Stefan. He would mourn her, more than Caroline realized if his reaction to the end of their relationship was any indication. The part of her that remembered the little boy she had been friends with felt sad for him. If the grief of their breakup was causing him to lose it, what would Caroline’s death do to him? And what of Hayley? Caroline supposed that she technically was the last of her family for they were stepsisters after all. She would be her next of kin and would be responsible for going through all of her belongings. The house would go to her and Hayley could do with it as she pleased.

_Maybe I should prepare a Will? I’d leave everything to Elena anyway._

_Stop it._ Klaus hissed darkly in the back of her mind. She felt the rumble of his anger at the fact that she was mentally planning for her own death. She huffed in frustration, wanting to snap back that it should not matter what his thoughts were on the subject. Either way she looked at it, Klaus would have her soul if he got his way. The focus was no longer her death but keeping her soul from Mikael.

“Ms. Forbes?” Caroline turned to see an elderly nurse enter the hospital, pulling a triage cart behind her with a computer on top of it. She pulled out a small scanner and used it to scan the barcode on the paper bracelet on Caroline’s wrist before typing away on the computer. “How are you feeling from one to ten?”

“Six? Maybe seven? Can I go home?”

“Not yet.” The nurse chuckled and Caroline scowled. She hated hospitals. She hated being confined, with no control over anything. Being locked away in a hospital always felt as though they were going to put her in a straitjacket, refusing to allow her ever to return home. She remembered a few times in her childhood, overhearing conversations with Stephen and her father about sending her away to a facility when the nightmares got too bad. “But hopefully tomorrow. You’re healing really fast. A cut like that, I would have assumed you would at least have a concussion.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a fast healer.”

“I can see that.” The nurse gave her a gentle smile, but Caroline only found it annoying. “The doctor wanted me to give you some medicine that will help you sleep. Your chart says that you are prescribed sleeping pills for insomnia. Here are some pills that will help you sleep and get some rest. By morning you should be good as new.”

Caroline scowled at the pills, hating having to take them but since her desire to be free of the hospital weighed heavier on her than her hatred of sleeping pills. She took the pills willingly and laid back on the bed. The nurse checked a few other vitals before rolling her triage cart out of the room. Caroline laid back into the bed and closed her eyes, counting until she could feel the effects of the medication.

She did not dream. Everything was dark and hazy, but she felt as though she could still hear everything around her. She heard the scratching on the walls and the whispers in her ear felt real. Her body was weighed down and her arms heavy. She tried to move but couldn’t. The medication made her feel sedated and suffocated while the air around her grew cold. She could hear her own breathing and it sounded shallow. She could feel the wisps of the Shadows touching her skin as they glided over her.

Caroline waited for them to sink into her, to tear Klaus’s mark from her chest. She waited to feel that agony again, but it didn’t come. She felt the moment when the world shifted around her and the whispers grew angry. The scent of sulfur was strong, and a low angry voice cut through the whispers. The wisps of the Shadows fluttered over her and then vanished away. There was the silent sound of a chair scraping against the hospital floor and Caroline fell back into a deep sleep.

When she opened her eyes some minutes or hours later, it was still dark outside. The beeping sound beside her echoed against the silence and the chill of the room was tampered. Her hospital door was shut tight, something she did not remember happening before. She turned her head to see someone sitting beside her and for a second, she thought it was Klaus.

It wasn’t.

“Elijah?” Her voice was hoarse and sounded off. She gazed at Elijah who she realized she never really had a full conversation with outside of that night in Georgia, but then it wasn’t really him then. Was it? He was dressed in a fine suit that made her think he was rather particular with his clothing. He was sitting cross legged with his hands folded into his lap. “What are you doing here?”

“Niklaus had…. a meeting I suppose you could say. He did not want you to be left alone. Especially when you’re not in your own home.” Elijah replied formally and gave her a warm smile. She remembered how he smiled before, that off-putting grimace that marred his face and yet, this was completely different. “Rest. You should be well enough to go home in the morning. Niklaus’s mark will ensure you heal.”

“His mark? I don’t understand.”

“The mark my brother placed upon you. Has he not explained this?” Elijah asked and Caroline shook her head. Elijah gave a sigh of annoyance and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose and Caroline wondered if she had offended him. “And here I thought my brother was growing in his maturity after all these millennia’s. Appears not. The mark essentially was Niklaus’s way of claiming you. He attached a part of himself to your soul, linking the two of you. It is why he can feel you and vise-versa. Its why you’re experience bought of inhuman strength or why that Bible burned you when you touched it. It will also help you heal. You hit your head hard, not enough to kill you but enough to do some damage. The mark healed you, _is_ healing you.”

“But it won’t stop me from dying will it?” Caroline asked, her own voice sounding detached from the concept. Part of her was beginning to accept the fact that she would die. There were a few things she needed to do. To arrange but it would be easy enough she supposed. “It doesn’t make me immortal does it? If it did, you wouldn’t be here at all.”

“No. It doesn’t.” Elijah gave her a sympathetic look. For a demon, he seemed rather compassionate. “The mark is a failsafe. Niklaus wants you to remain alive. The deal he made with your aunt was nothing more than protection for your soul. To prevent you from becoming Mikael’s puppet in the afterlife.” Caroline stilled, narrowing her eyes. That was not how she understood Cami’s letter. She had thought it was to protect her from the sacrifice. “Do not be angry Caroline. I’m sure you aunt’s intentions were to prevent the sacrifice but when making a deal with a demon, she needed to be more precise. She wanted to prevent you from having the same _fate_ as your mother. Not the same death.”

“Oh.” Caroline nodded, thinking back onto Klaus’s words. She realized now how little Klaus could have done in order to fulfil his end of the deal. He could have marked her, allowed the sacrifice to move forward and upon her death, she would be sent to him and not Mikael. Yet, he was doing far more than what he agreed to. He was doing his best to keep her alive. To give her the chance at a full life. Even if that meant that his mark would one day fade. “I see.”

“I don’t think you do.” Elijah countered. “Tell me, what do you feel for my brother?”

“I-“Caroline paused, completely unsure how to answer that question. She searched for the right words and yet nothing seemed to make sense. It wasn’t love but she didn’t hate him either. “When the Shadows tried to remove his mark, I was terrified. I didn’t know what they were doing but when I realized, not only was I scared of what that would mean for me, I realized I didn’t want it gone.” The idea of his mark fading away, leaving her vulnerable was one thing but she craved the connection to him. “He is in my head and I find that I search him out. Even though he infuriates me, and I wish he would just _talk_ to me, I don’t regret knowing him. Or that night I spent with him. Everything aside, I’m glad I know him.”

“You have feelings for him.” Elijah seemed pleased with her answer and suddenly Caroline felt as though she was in college again, having gotten a question right that the professor asked. “Niklaus has spent the last six millennia guarding the underworld, or at least parts of it. Protecting us, especially Freya and Henrik. He is the more, gifted of us all for there is no demon quite like him. A trait he inherited I suppose. He has done very little for himself and I had urged him to find something to occupy him, outside of his souls and us. He wouldn’t listen. Then I saw him take a special interest in you. I thought maybe he had finally found something for himself. Something that would ground him and yet he is prepared to let you go.”

“What?”

“You haven’t completed the mark, Ms. Forbes. If you don’t and Niklaus succeeds in keeping you alive. What do you think will happen? His mark will fade, you will live your life, grow old and die. You would find peace I imagine, spend the afterlife with your father and stepfather. You would go to a place that Niklaus could never cross. He cares for you enough to let you have that.” Caroline laid back against the bed, a thousand thoughts weighed heavily on her. “Now, if you did complete the mark, you would be bound to him for all eternity. Have you thought of it?”

“I would be lying if I said I hadn’t.” Caroline whispered. “He said that he would wait decades for me to come to him. He wants me to complete the mark. He wants me to claim him. It’s just so overwhelming. It’s like whiplash with him sometimes.”

“That is an accurate description of my brother.” Everything seemed confusing. Klaus cared for her, more than she had even realized. She was beginning to sense that there so much more to the story of her own life than she had thought. This was not a mystery a wannabe journalist was going to solve, at least not without a willing source.

“Can I ask a question?”

“Of course, but I cannot promise that I will answer.”

“Who is Mikael? And why does he do this?” Elijah looked at her and his brown eyes grew sad. Caroline knew that she stumbled upon a question that he wasn’t going to give her an answer to. Her shoulders slumped in frustration and annoyance. She had thought that Elijah would be honest with her and yet he proves to be a stubborn as his brother. “Never mind.”

“The subject of Mikael is a very old one. Your aunt knew what she was doing by summoning Niklaus.” Elijah paused, choosing his words very carefully. “I’m afraid that this is something you will need to speak with Niklaus about. It is a subject that has defined our family for several millennia and Niklaus is really the center of it all. It is not my place to tell you, but if it helps, I will have words with my brother. Perhaps give him a little push if it will help.”

“Yes. Thank you.” Caroline nodded, understanding that this was the best she could hope for. She had a feeling that Elijah had a long history of trying to get his brother to do something only to receive some push back. While Elijah would never come out and say it, they both knew that Klaus could be a bit of a toddler at times. “The night we met, it wasn’t you, was it?”

“Yes and no.” Elijah replied, giving a dark inhuman chuckle. For a moment, she had forgotten how dangerous he could be. Klaus, Elijah and even Kol to an extent were talented at hiding their demons from the world. Yet, in moments of laughter or if the light catches their eyes in just the right way, Caroline could feel the darkness radiating from them. “I have to borrow the good old detective’s body for a while. Kol is the one who enjoys possessing human bodies, I however, find it quite distasteful but desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose.”

“Possession? Right. Okay. Not even going to dive deeper into that.” Caroline shook her head; the pounding was slowly coming back. She shifted slightly on the bed and looked out the window at the night sky. She could feel Elijah’s eyes on her, but her head was pounding and did not feel up to discussing anything else. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Get some rest. Nothing will touch you while I am here. I give you my word.” Elijah then stood from his chair and leaned over the bed, pressing a soft kiss to her hair line. The world went fuzzy again and Caroline found herself slipping into a deep sleep; a sleep that was far better than anything her pills could have achieved.

When she woke a second time, the sun was pouring into the hospital room. She could hear the birds outside her window, and she could see the changing of the trees due to the year falling deeper into autumn. Caroline reached up and touched her head, noticing that she was no longer connected to a machine that measured her heartrate. She looked around the room and noticed that a fresh pair of clothes were laid out and ready for her to change into.

“Your friend Elena is hell bent on taking you home today.” Caroline shifted towards the hospital room door and groaned. A tall man with blonde hair and grey eyes was leaning against the archway. He was in black dress pants and a maroon button up shirt that Caroline thought looked too dark on him. She scowled at the sight of him but pushed herself up.

“Dr. Maxfield. Last time I checked you didn’t work in the hospital.” Caroline greeted her old therapist, making it very clear that she was not in the mood to see nor discuss anything with him. He gave her a small smile and walked into the room to take the seat in the same chair Elijah have been in previously. “Oh yay. You want to chat.”

“Caroline, one of my former patients winds up in the hospital after being attacked by a priest. It’s not an everyday occurrence. Of course, I’m going to come and see if you’re okay.” Dr. Maxfield replied. “Although, I had hoped that you would make an appointment to see me. Word is that you’ve been having a rough time lately.”

“You mean that everyone I love has pretty much died? Yeah. Thanks. I’ve noticed.” Caroline snapped. It was petty but she always felt on edge around Dr. Maxfield. It wasn’t fair, she knew that. He had gone out of his way to help her, but he always made her feel as though what she was seeing, and feeling wasn’t real. “What do you want me to say? Sorry that I didn’t come to you in order for you to tell me I’m crazy? Didn’t feel like dealing with that. Thanks.”

“You’re not crazy Caroline. I never once said you were.” Dr. Maxfield replied, dishing out his endless amount of patience. It was an old argument between them and while he never outright said she was crazy, his actions typically spoke otherwise. “But you do have a tendency to neglect your mental health. Are you taking your sleeping pills?”

“Rarely.”

“I gathered as much.” He sighed calmly but it still set Caroline on edge. “You sufferer from insomnia, Caroline. Those pills help you sleep. You know what happens when you start lacking sleep. Your behavior become erratic and impulsive. The incident when you were nineteen comes to mind.”

“Are you seriously bringing up the fact that I threw a lamp at Tyler’s head when I caught him in bed with Hayley?” Caroline snapped. “That honestly had nothing to do with lack of sleep or anything else except the fact that I caught my boyfriend cheating on me _mere hours_ after my father’s funeral.”

“The timing was bad, yes but you had not been sleeping at that time.” Caroline moved to interrupt but he held up his hand. “Those were extreme circumstances. You were taking care of your dad day and night. Sleeping was pushed to the back burner and I’m not blaming you for that. However, your reaction to finding Tyler in bed with your stepsister turned violent because you were exhausted and rightfully so.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit, and you know it”

“Maybe.” The doctor shrugged. “But answer me this, were you sleeping the day you tossed a cup of coffee at the wall at the newspaper a few days before you got fired?” Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. She had thought that her boss would have kept that from becoming common knowledge. “I had lunch with Pearl yesterday. She is concerned about you. As am I.”

“So, concerned that she fired me.” Caroline snapped. The fact that she had lost her job only a few weeks ago seemed like ancient history. So much had happened in such a short period of time that Caroline had not thought about her employment status in a while. She wanted to snap at Dr. Maxfield and prove to him that everything she had been saying for years, the Shadows and her nightmares, were all real; but if she did, she knew that he would not believe her. “I’m fine. Stressed yes but fine.”

“I don’t think you are.” Dr. Maxfield shook his head and gave her a worried look. “I also went and spoke with Father Saltzman or at least tried to.” Caroline froze, wondering exactly the priest would have said. “Now, I will be honest. I spoke to him briefly and I can already conclude that he is not in his right mental state. For he did nothing but mutter and couldn’t answer a single question. He always was a bit, strange and his track record with those who disagree with him are not the best.”

“You mean the fight he got into with Stefan?”

“That and a few other instances. Take his visit with Vicki Donovan. Rumor around town is that she did not appreciate his visit and made it known.” Dr. Maxfield paused, collecting his thoughts and pushed forward. “However, he seems to believe that you’re the one who attacked him. Not the other way around.”

“What!?” Caroline’s eyes grew wide. If she ignored all the demonic activity that landed her in the hospital in the first place, she could confidently say that she did not attack the priest at all. If anything, he was the one who would have tried to preform an exorcism if he had not been interrupted by Klaus. “That is completely not true.”

“I know.” Dr. Maxfield held up his hand and tried to calm her. “I know. I believe you. I’ve always believed you Caroline. I’m not the enemy here. I’m on your side and I want to help you, but in order to do that, you have to help yourself.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and looked at her. “All I am saying is that Father Saltzman is sick and if it had been anyone else, there would be question on whether or not you went after him. You have a history of erratic behavior. I will admit that in the last few years, you’ve gotten yourself together. You had a good job. A relationship. Friends. You were better.”

“But?”

“But you’ve stopped taking your sleeping pills. You’ve stopped taking care of yourself.” Caroline went to argue but he held up his hand to silence her again. “I’m not blaming you. You’ve suffered two very big losses. You lost your job and broke up with your boyfriend. The tragic murders of Matt and April Donovan does not help anyone. Father Saltzman attacking you is just a long list of things that put you in a vulnerable place right now. You’re stressed. When you’re stressed, you stop caring for yourself. When that happens, you lash out and do something drastic and sometimes people get hurt. I’m trying to keep you from getting to that point.”

“So, what do you propose?” Caroline asked, dreading his answer. She crossed her arms and glared at him, feeling like that petulant teenage girl who was forced into his office on a weekly basis again. She _hated_ therapy. She hated being forced to talk about her feelings. She hated being made to feel as though she was insane. She knew that he had her best interest at heart, but he was just _wrong_.

“I think you need to restart therapy. I think you would benefit from returning to your weekly meetings with me.” He gave her an engaging look and Caroline knew him well enough that this proposal was just the beginning. “On top of actually taking your sleeping pills when needed, I would like to start you back on your antidepressants again.” Caroline shook her head, refusing to go back to being medicated like she had been in her teenage years. “Caroline there is nothing wrong with being on antidepressants.”

“You’re right. There isn’t but I don’t need them.”

“Caroline-“

“No!” Caroline all but shouted and Dr. Maxfield sighed, knowing full well that this was going to be her reaction. He didn’t fight her on it and that made Caroline even more worried. “What else are you thinking?”

“I think you should say here for a little while.” Dr. Maxfield stated. “Before you complain, here me out. You’re not crazy but you’re under a lot of stress. I think spending a few days impatient and undergoing a round of therapy sessions for a few days will only help you. It will help you get back on track and maybe help you process the losses in your life.” He reached out and took her hand. “You were in such a good place before all of this happened Caroline and I want to see you get back there.”

“No. No. No.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. In the back of her mind, she formulated an idea. Perhaps it was a form of manipulation and she should have felt guilty for that, but she wanted Dr. Maxfield off her back and if lying to him made that happen, she was not above doing so. “But I’ll agree to restart my sessions. Next week. Let me, heal and feel better physically and I’ll make an appointment.”

“Okay but if you don’t, I’ll track you down.” He replied as the same moment as Elena knocked on the hospital door. Her brown eyes looked between the two of them and she gave Caroline an apologetic smile. She _knew_ Dr. Maxfield was in here and that made Caroline glare at her. “Get some sleep Caroline. Rest. I’ll see you in a week.”

_I’ll probably be dead by then._ Caroline thought and by the stab of irritation in the back of her mind made her realize that Klaus had been with her the entire time, listening but allowing her the time to deal with him. _Oh fantastic, the demon in the back of my head even agrees with the shrink._

Klaus’s chuckles only made her want to flip him off but if she did, it would be a hell of a thing to explain to both Dr. Maxfield and Elena was she was suddenly giving them the finger. Dr. Maxfield gave Elena a small nod before leaving the room and her friend approached the bed hesitantly.

“I’m sorry! He just wanted to talk to you and after he officially had Father Saltzman committed to the hospital for an extended stay, I thought it might best.” Elena really gave her a worried look and Caroline wanted to snap at her but taking in her friend appearance, she refrained. Elena looked pale, and exhausted as though she had been sick for several days. “Forgive me.”

“Fine but if I find myself back on crazy meds, it’s your fault.” Caroline narrowed her eyes mockingly and Elena just nodded agreeing with her. “Now, please tell me you’re here to take me home. I really don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Yup. You’re free. I already signed your discharge papers and everything.” Caroline smiled widely and pulled herself from the bed. Elena gave her some privacy in order to change her clothes and met her in the hall. Elena looped her arm through Caroline’s and lead her down the towards the entrance and out into the parking lot. Caroline saw that she Elena had brought Damon’s car and not her own.

“Where is your car?” Caroline asked, glaring at the Camaro. She really hated that car. “Where is Damon?”

“Damon is helping Stefan move a few things from the boarding house to his apartment, finally and needed the trunk space.” Elena shrugged but Caroline could see behind her friends worry. When Caroline had kicked Stefan out of the house, he had moved in temporarily with Damon and Elena. He had gotten his own place but had been hesitant to move all of his stuff. “Maybe that finally means he is getting over you.”

“Maybe.” Caroline agreed, liking the concept that Stefan was finally letting go of something that was never going to be. It was just one last thing that she did not have to deal with. “How are you and Damon? Any progress?

“We’re fine. I guess. I don’t know.” Elena shrugged, as she pulled out of the parking space and headed towards Caroline’s home. “He has been really good the last few days. He took off of work to spend time with me, make sure I was okay. He has really been there after everything with Matt and April.”

“I feel a ‘but’ coming on.”

“But, part of me wonders if this is just a way to cover his tracks.” Elena shook her head. “I haven’t been feeling well and seeing April and Matt really did not help matters. Damon was working all the time and now is trying to be around more. Part of me wants to believe him but at the same time, is he lying? I don’t know. I’m just confused and probably overreacting.”

“There is no proof he was cheating?” Caroline asked but Elena shook her head. “Then I don’t think he was. I think he was being honest when he said it was work and maybe he saw the toll that it was taking on you and is actually trying to be there for you. Because let’s be real, you’re going through something horrible and I can tell it’s affecting you. If he wasn’t stepping up and doing his job as a husband, I would be having words with him.”

“Thank you.” Elena replied, and Caroline could see her shoulders sag a little. They shared a small smile as Elena pulled into Caroline’s driveway. Elena turned to look at her friend and reached out to give her a hug. It was warm and tight, making Caroline feel guilty for her thoughts about leaving her behind if she died. “Get some rest. Okay? I don’t want to see you hurt anymore. Just, get better okay? Please. For me?”

“Yeah. I’ll try.” Caroline whispered into Elena’s hair and shut her eyes, trying to block the tears that were threatening to fall. She wanted to confide in her friend. Tell her everything that was going on, but she couldn’t. She wanted to keep Elena as far away from all of this as possible. The last thing she wanted was her friend to get caught int the crossfire because of some demonic feud. “Do you want to come inside? Talk some more?”

“Would you get mad if I said no?”

“Of course not!”

“Okay. I’m just not feeling well. I think I’m coming down with the flu or something. I’m just stressing out about Damon and worrying about if you’re okay and worrying about Stefan and then Matt and April. I think my body is just revolting.”

“Then go home and get some sleep. Make Damon cook you soup or something.” Caroline narrowed her eyes mockingly at Elena. “Doctors orders.”

“Says the woman who won’t listen to her own doctor.” Elena snapped back teasingly. Caroline just rolled her eyes, causing Elena to laugh at her. It was good to hear that sound and she realized it had been so long since she had heard it. Had things really gotten so bad that Caroline was missing even the hint of laughter in her life? She shook herself and tried to make herself smile. It was hard. “I’m just kidding.”

“I know.” Caroline reached out and hugged her friend one last time before opening the car door. She stepped out and grabbed her bag that had her clothes from the previous day in them. “Thank you for picking me up. I really appreciate it.”

Elena nodded and Caroline shut the door. She walked around the blue Camaro and climbed the stairs of her porch and pulled at the keys to her home. She pushed open the door and caught the faint glimmer of the pentagram on her door. As she stepped over the threshold, Caroline felt herself relax. Finally, she felt safe.

The air was cold and eerie but for the first time, it didn’t make her feel any ounce of fear. Perhaps it was the pentagrams carved into her home, protecting her from forces that could not cross them, but she knew that whatever was in her home now, was there to keep her safe. Caroline kicked off her shoes, leaving them by the front door and made her way into the kitchen.

Klaus was leaning against her counter with his arms crossed and a warm smirk on his lips. Caroline smiled, embracing the fact that he was there in person and not gazing at her through some mirror. She wondered if Elijah had spoken with him and convinced him to tell her at least a hint at what was going on. Caroline walked over to him and Klaus opened his arms. As though it was instinct, Caroline leaned against his chest and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, causing a wave of calm to echo through her.

It was the first real embrace they had shared since their night in New Orleans.

“How are you feeling?” Klaus whispered to her and Caroline sighed. She didn’t want to think on anything than the feeling of him holding her. However, Elijah’s questions prickled the back of her mind like an annoying bug and she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to really let go until she had answers; both in regard to Mikael and how she was feeling.

“Scared.” She whispered to him and he nodded, understanding. Caroline pulled away and looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. She knew what he wanted from her. She knew that he wanted wear her mark proudly, but it was something she did not know if she wanted to give. At least, not without knowing everything he was withholding from her. “Did you speak to Elijah?”

“I did.” Klaus nodded and his lips turned upward, almost as though he was amused by something. “It seems that my brother likes you. He said that you were a good influence on me and that I should be open and honest with you.” Klaus leaned down and kissed the top of her head again. “However, I find that I’m not as good with words as my brother.”

“I think you do well enough when want to.” Caroline countered, thinking back on the memories of herself from his perspective. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on the patch of skin that peeked through the top of his Henley. She was momentarily amused at how all the demons she had met, each one of them had a difference sense of style. “I know you want me to mark you.”

“I do.”

“And it is something I’ve been thinking about.” Klaus froze under her touch, his eyes growing wide with both hope and fear. “However, I don’t know what that all means. I mean I get the gist, but I don’t know all the facts. I don’t know who Mikael is or Freya or anyone else. All I know is that I’m set to die because Mikael wants my soul and you’re doing everything to prevent that from happening. Which I am thankful for by the way.”

“What are you asking Caroline?” Klaus looked at her with hesitation. He wasn’t angry or hurt but he was worried. Caroline could feel the fear in the back of her mind as though he was terrified that she would turn away from him.

“If I am going to spend eternity in the afterlife with you, I want to know what that means. I want to know your history with Mikael and how I ended up in this situation. Please. All I ask is that you show me who you are.” Caroline reached up and placed her hands on his face, tracing his cheekbones with her hands. “Show me, everything. I want the good. The bad and everything in-between. Please.”

For a moment, she thought that he was going to turn her away and cast her out. She thought he was going to turn away from her and vanish into a thick cloud of smoke, but he didn’t. Instead, he pulled her close to him and peered into her eyes as though he was seeing into her very soul. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers, his breath tickling her skin.

“Okay.” Klaus brushed his lips against hers, pulling her into a deep kiss. Caroline pressed her body into his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. The kiss turned passionate and Caroline could feel the world melt away again. The ground beneath her moved and shifted, and yet all she could focus on was his lips on hers. She focused on the taste of him and the purring sound in the back of his throat, casting away the fact that the entire world shifting around them, morphing into a place and time that was unknown to Caroline.

_When they broke apart, Caroline was breathing heavily, her lips red from his kiss. She looked into his eyes and she could see a hint of fear and worry behind them. She realized that this was going to be the most honest he had ever been with her. That this was going to be Klaus at his rawest. She turned from him, gazing at her surroundings._

_They stood in a tall forest, thicker and far richer than she had ever seen. The air felt cleaner and crisper as though the world had yet to be polluted. The sun shined brightly, coating her in warmth that she was not expecting. A small stream was flowing beside them and the water was crystal clear. A blonde woman with long blonde hair and clear blue eyes was drinking from it. She wore a gown made of fur and a cloak made of animal skin. Her hair was braided in a way that Caroline had never seen and the bracelets on her wrist seemed to be made of bone._

_“Caroline.” She turned from the woman and turned to gaze up at Klaus again. The woman did not hear them or realize they were there, instead she just continued to drink from the stream. “I would like you to meet my mother.”_

**TO BE CONTINUED ON HALLOWEEN…..**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Thats right. You're getting an extra special and long chapter on Halloween....this Saturday....


	15. A Child Born of Hellfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN
> 
> When planning this story, I could not resist the urge to post this chapter on the spookiest day of the year. I actually moved the first day I started posting, so this chapter could be posted today.
> 
> I PLANNED this. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter dedicated to the entire Mikaelson family.

_“I was born in what is now called Norway during the fourth millennium. Long before the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons. There was a small civilization there, forming after the thaw of the ice age. People had just begun to colonize and spread out. The people survived by fishing and hunting. Clothing were sewn from the skin of sheep and cattle. They bartered for goods and their homes were made from wood and stone.” Klaus’s voice lacked emotion or anything that could be considered sentiment for his past. Yet Caroline got the sentiment that it affected him more than he was willing to let on._

_Caroline looked around the room they were in. The floor was made of dirt and in the center was a circle made of stone that had a fire inside of it. Wooden spikes where etched into the ground to make a rack that held what looked like a clay pot. There was a hole in the ceiling that smoke was coming out of and the circular room had makeshift beds on the sides._

_In the far back was what appeared to be an altar, that was littered with items that were so foreign to Caroline that she could not place all of them. There appeared to be a dagger made of stone and a several items that appeared to be made of bone. The alter had several carvings etched into the stone. The symbols were much of what Caroline could not understand, except one. She reached back and touched her shoulder; her finger’s tracing the old scar there._

_Just then a woman pushed back a flap of the hut and made her way towards the alter. Caroline got a good look at her. She had long blond hair that was braided and hung over her shoulders. Her skin was marred with dirt and bruises. Her hands appeared callused from overuse and her nails cracked. She had a strong jaw and the same blue eyes as Klaus._

_“My mother was nothing more than a mortal woman who practiced an early version of what you call today, wicca. It was far darker and brutal. The bones of children were used as anchors and the blood of virgins was used to pull energy and transfer elements into magic. Her name was Esther and she was a high priestess, revered among those in the villages and feared by others.” Esther reached out and began to trace Mikael’s symbol with affection, a small and affectionate smile on her lips. Caroline studied her expression and it was something that filled her with dread._

_“She worshipped Mikael.”_

_“Oh, she did more than worship.” Esther began to pray and whisper to the symbol. Caroline could not hear what she was saying but if she did, she doubted she could understand it anyway. The hut filled with black smoke and for a moment, Caroline thought the Shadows had followed them into Klaus’s memory but a moment later, Esther turned with a smile on her lips. Then Caroline saw what appeared to be a man stepping out of the smoke._

_She had imagined that Mikael would have horns, hooved feet and cried out in a voice that sounded like a goat, but he wasn’t. He was handsome, beautiful even. He had dark blonde hair, grey eyes and a smile that felt false. He was dressed in a tunic, leather hide pants and rings made of bone. Caroline stepped forward, gazing at the man in front of her, wondering if this was the face she would see every day for the rest of eternity._

_Mikael held out his hand and Esther scrambled to her feet, rushing to him. She gripped his hand, kissing the back of it before kneeling before him. Caroline was shocked at the sight of Klaus’s mother, kneeling before this demon but when she started to kiss his feet, her eyes grew wide and she turned to Klaus as though she was seeing something truly scandalous._

_“Seriously! And here I thought my mother was a nut case.” Caroline said, the words slipping from her lips before she considered what she was saying. The memory that Liz’s soul had been consumed by the very demon Klaus was showing made the fact that Esther was kneeling before him all that more sickening to her. “Sorry, my mouth ran away from me.”_

_“No apologies needed.” Klaus waved his hand, the memory froze in place and Esther was still kneeling before Mikael, her blue eyes that Klaus inherited, was staring longingly up at Mikael as though he was her whole world. He walked over to his mother and knelt down beside her, gaze at her in a way that broke Caroline’s heart. “I had forgotten what she looked like.”_

_“What do you mean? What happened to her?”_

_“The short answer? Him.” Klaus stood and the scene resumed. Mikael held out his hand and Esther slipped hers into his. She stood on her feet, her gaze unwavering and Mikael leaned down to brush his lips against Esther’s. “My mother loved him in a way that went beyond that of a high priestess. He made a great deal of promises to her but kept none of them.”_

_“He marked her. Like you did me?” Caroline asked and Klaus nodded. Caroline could feel a wave of sadness pass through the bond and she realized how difficult it must be for Klaus to relive these memories, even if she did not fully understand the story. She walked over to Klaus and placed her hand on his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. He looked down at her with a small smile._

_“Yes. He did but he was never willing to complete the bond. My mother made vow and vow, never to take another lover and to never betray him. Yet, Mikael did not show her the same respect.” Klaus cocked his head, gazing at Esther who was wrapped in an embrace with the demon. “I vow to you Caroline, that if you complete the mark and let me have you completely, I will never betray you.”_

_“I know.” Caroline replied, standing on her tip toes and pressed a light kiss to his lips. She smiled up at him, wondering what all it would mean to complete the mark. “But there is something I don’t understand. You said that Matt, April and Lillian all died to mark the ground with blood in order for Mikael to walk upon the earth. Here, this scene, no one was died, and he summoned, almost like how Bonnie summoned you the other night.”_

_“You’re getting a bit ahead of the story, Sweetheart.” Klaus chuckled and shook his head. He waved his hand and time speed up. Mikael vanished and Esther moved around the hunt. The sun set and rose again. Klaus lead Caroline out of the tent and the village around them changed, grew and shrunk. The stars burned brightly in the night sky but then vanished, in the morning light. Caroline had never seen the sky look so clear. “My mother lived with her sister, Dahlia another wiccan. A powerful one and she too worshiped Mikael.”_

_Caroline gazed at a dark-haired woman that looked nothing like Esther. Her eyes were dark as cole and skin paler than she had ever seen. Her sharp cheekbones looked as though that if Caroline touched them, it would cut her finger into shred. Her features looked like she never smiled, and her eyes held a haunting look to them._

_“She seems pleasant?”_

_“According to my siblings, she wasn’t.” Klaus chuckled. “Dahlia was never able to forgive Esther for the attention Mikael gave her. Jealousy is a strong emotion and when it is spread thin for a long time, it can ruin the most precious of relationships.”_

_“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.” Caroline retorted and Klaus’s eyes shined with mirth. Memories of the jealousy she often felt through their bond when she was around Damon and Stefan. It was foolish not to realize how deep Klaus’s desire ran when all he had to do was send such obvious signs. She reached out and gripped Klaus’s hand, squeezing it. “And there is nothing to be jealous of. You know. Not anymore.”_

_Klaus said nothing but the smirk on his lips told Caroline that he heard her._

_“When my mother fell pregnant the first time, Dahlia acted as a midwife for her and the first of Mikael’s children were born, a little girl named Freya.” Caroline paused, her eyes growing wide as the scene in front of her slowed. Esther was holding a bundle in her arms as she sat by a burning bonfire in the middle of the night. She cooed to the infant in her arms while Caroline wondered how that baby got trapped in a painting for all eternity._

_“My mother used to tell me stories of the girl in the painting, I think. I always thought she was so fascinating. She traveled all over the world, seeing everything but through the eyes of a painting.” Caroline looked over Esther’s shoulder at the infant in her arms. “Everything about her seemed so magical and now, having seen her again, it just seems so sad.”_

_“Freya was the most talented of us. Magic came easy to Esther’s children because of the demon blood that ran in their veins. By the time Freya was five years old, she was making prophecies and seeing into the future. Something no living wiccan ever could truly claim.” Klaus replied, waving his hand again; shifting time. Caroline watched as the infant grew into a young girl, with long blonde hair and the same blue eyes as her mother. Freya ran through a field of a whitish pink flowers with two little boys following her. One was clearly older than the other. They both had brown hair and dark eyes, appearing to look more like Mikael than Esther. Caroline focused on the younger one, a small boy with an intense look upon his face._

_“Elijah?”_

_“Yes. By the time Freya was five years old, my mother had given Mikael two more children. Finn.” Klaus pointed to the boy Caroline did not know. “He never embraced his demon side. He tried but he always seemed at war with himself, hating something that made him evil in his mind. Freya did her best to guide him, but Finn just could never grasp what his nature demanded. Even to this day, he lives upon the surface, pretending to be something he is not; but that is a story for a bit later.”_

_“Not Elijah though?” Caroline asked, staring at the young boy in the midst of a field of flowers who would one day be a demon dressed in a fancy suit. “He came to see me in the hospital and was very comfortable in who he was.”_

_“Yes. Elijah has no desire to be human like our brother but again, you’re jumping ahead of the story, Love.” Klaus teased her and they sat down in the field, watching the three young children play. Freya and Elijah would make the flowers bloom more beautifully or have sticks float around them. Elijah even found a dead bird that he brought back to life, allowing it to fly away. Klaus was enjoying watching them be nothing more than children and Caroline did not want to take that away from him. “By this point Mikael stopped answering my mother’s summons. The mark he placed upon Esther faded and she began to wonder if she had fallen out of favor with him.”_

_“Did she?” Klaus just smirked and waved his hand again, causing the sun to go down and rise again, only to fade into the earth over and over again. Klaus lead her into the forest until the sky could not be seen through the thick branches of the trees. They reached a clearing and Caroline saw a woman kneeling before a circle made of stone and a pentagram of bone._

_“Dahlia had grown envious of Esther and the children she bore. She was the eldest sister and therefore she thought that it should have been her to bear Mikael’s offspring. When he chose Esther, she began worshipping someone else.” Flames erupted around her, casting a light to the darkness. “Then, one the eve of a festival the village held in Mikael’s honor; Dahlia did the unthinkable. She summoned something else.”_

_Dahlia’s voice was that of a harsh melody, chanting in a prehistoric language that Caroline could not understand. Dahlia closed her eyes and held up a thick blade made of stone and sliced her hand open. She poured her own blood over the bones and said the same words over and over again. Caroline felt the world go cold and the rustling of the trees stop. The darkness grew darker and everything inside of Caroline froze in terror. The earth rumbled beneath her and for a moment, she thought it was about to open up and swallow her whole. Klaus wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest._

_Then in a crack could be heard and the sky lit up as though lightening was striking. In the flash, Caroline saw something within the trees, something massive. The sound of crackling branches could be heard, the sound of something breaking down entire trees to reach them. Terrifying, red blinking eyes could be seen in the darkness, staring at them. The outline of horns could be seen, and it looked to be tilting its head in curiosity. The world around them went silent. Every animal had fled and even the flames surrounding Dahlia had gone still in terror. Caroline’s heart was pumping and her gut telling to flee quickly._

_Then the sound of breaking bones broke the silence. There were no cries of pain or sounds of terror, just the never-ending cracking that Caroline felt in her very soul. Once the sound ceased, a man stepped out from the trees. He was tall and beautiful with dark hair and matching eyes. He wore not a single stich of clothing upon his person as he approached Dahlia. He reached out and touched her shoulder, feeling the skin of the dead animal upon her body. Caroline got the impression that he had never seen clothing before. The man looked down at his own body and the hid of something molded itself around him, clothing his body instantly._

_“Caroline, I would like you to meet my father.” The man held out his hand and Dahlia took it willingly. She stood from the ground and he turned over her palm. He kissed it, healing the wound that lingered on her skin. Dahlia began to lead the man from her circle of bone and through the trees. Klaus, in the same fashion as his father, held out his hand for Caroline to take. “Come. There is much more to see.”_

_“Who is he?” Caroline asked and Klaus only returned that tell-tale smirk, informing Caroline that it was a question asked to soon. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing that he would only find her fury amusing. “Very well, keep your secrets. You’ll tell me before all this is over.”_

_“Yes. I will. Come.” Caroline took his hand and they began to follow Dahlia and the man through the thick woods. It was not long before they came to the center of the village, where a massive bonfire roaring with villagers dancing around them. Caroline looked to the ground and saw another pentagram made of bone; the dancers stepping over them easily. “Dahlia had been whispering to him for years, telling him of her sister. A sister who bore three demonic children. It was something that interested my father greatly because most woman and child would die during such a pregnancy. He commanded that Dahlia summon him during a festival where the villagers offered a gift to Mikael.”_

_Caroline watched as the villagers danced around the fire, symbols etched onto their skin with black paint. The symbol that was burned on her shoulder gleamed upon their skin in the firelight. Esther stood at the head of the fire, naked as the day she was born and covered in the blood of some animal. A stone dagger in her hand. A young girl who bared a resemblance to Elena, with her long brown hair and doe eyes, was being dragged to Esther._

_The girl screamed and begged, but Esther waved her hand and the girl was bound to the ground, in the center of the pentagram. She continued to plead in a language that Caroline just could not make out, but it seemed that Klaus could understand every word. Esther flicked her wrists and the bonfire burned brighter. She picked up a dagger and gripped it in her hand, gazing down at the girl. A little girl, no more than four, was on the side pleading and begging them to spare her. Caroline gazed at the girl, remembering being in her place as Liz was brutally murdered before her eyes._

_“The sacrifice.”_

_“Yes.” Esther began to chant while the rest of the coven began to dance around the fire, echoing their high priestesses’ words. She knelt down next to the screaming girl. She raised the dagger above her head and plunged it into the woman. Caroline turned her head, the memory of her mother’s death seemed all to real. She buried her face into Klaus’s chest, listening to the sound of the woman dying; and the screams of the small girl being branded._

_“Mikael.” Caroline could hear Esther whimper. She muttered his name over and over again; pleading for him to come. The world around them remained still and as Caroline pulled her head from Klaus’s chest. She turned to the woman and saw that she was opening weeping. Crying out for her master that was not coming to greet the sacrifice._

_Across the bonfire, Caroline could see a shadow of a man lurking at the scene in front of them. Klaus’s father gazed upon Esther with fascination. Dahlia was standing beside him, whispering in his ear, telling some tale. His father did not move his gaze from Esther who was now grieving on the ground, crying at Mikael’s abandonment._

_“Mikael ignored my mother’s summons for some time. He grew bored of the mortal realm and of his children. Freya assured my mother that he would come back one day but it was never soon enough.” Klaus raised his hand and the scene speed up again. The flames of the bonfire began to flicker into cinders and the people retreated to their huts; leaving the body of the girl sprawled out on the ground and Esther crying. The scene then froze as Klaus’s father walked around the extinguished fire and held out his hand. “My father saw a weakness in Esther that night. A desperation. He said all the right words to find his way into her bed. He had one purpose and that was for an heir and Esther had proven capable of bearing demonic children.”_

_“An heir to what?” Klaus smirked and said nothing. Caroline wanted to huff in annoyance, but something caught her eye. The scene shifted again, this time months flying by and Caroline saw how round Esther’s stomach had become. Esther picked up a sharpened rock and tried to stab herself. “What is she doing?!”_

_“Trying to kill me.” Klaus replied as though it was the easiest sentence in the world to say. “She betrayed Mikael. Even though his mark had faded by then, Esther still knew that her vows were iron glad in his eyes. She had sex with another and was carrying his child. However, I was stubborn. I was destined to be born and my father ensured it by finding a woman who was capable to bear demonic children. My aunt Dahlia was also vigilant, anxious to see her master’s child come to be. She always called me little Prince.”_

_“Your own mother tried to kill you before you were born? And after?” Klaus waved his hand again, time folding itself to show a very pregnant Esther in the midst of labor. Dahlia moving around her, helping her, despite how obvious Esther screamed in fury at her sister. Caroline heard something just outside the hut and turned her head from the graphic childbirth to see a young Freya, no more than five years old, gazing into the hut. She was gripping the hand of a toddler Elijah, but his dark eyes gave Caroline the impression that he knew very well what was happening._

_“My sister always knew I’d be born. She foresaw it long before I was even conceived.” An infant’s cry entered the hut and Caroline turned to see Dahlia pulling a wailing baby from between Esther’s outstretched legs. Esther was covered in sweat and the inside of her thighs were stained red from blood. Caroline noticed how the sun shifted and the world seemed to grow darker quickly, almost as though the moon was passing over the sun. “The world felt my birth. It echoed and screamed, plunged into darkness. A moment of true evil was born into the world and the world shook in fear.”_

_“You’re not evil. Not to me.” Caroline watched as Dahlia cradled the baby in her arms, cooing to it softly. Her eyes seemed alight with joy, for a moment she almost looked beautiful. She leaned down and kissed the top of the baby’s head before moving back towards an exhausted Esther. Dahlia tried to hand the child to his mother, but she refused. They bickered back and forth for a few moments before Esther gave the child in her sister’s arms a disgusted look._

_“Niklaus.”_

_“The only act of motherly kindness she showed for me was giving me my name. Never once did she hold me. Sing to me or love me. My siblings all claim that she doted upon them, but my mother would never set eyes upon me until I was a fully-grown man.” Klaus’s voice was hollow and cooled, as though he longed for the love of his mother he had been denied. Caroline reached out, took his hand and squeezed it, giving him some form of comfort. She closed her eyes and tried to do the one thing he had always done for her; provide him with a wave of calm and hope._

_When her eyes creaked open, Klaus was smiling down at her, having felt the emotion she was trying to give. With the flick of Klaus’s wrist, the world pushed forwards and this time, Klaus lead her out of the hut. The world had gone into complete darkness. Not a single star could be seen above. The villagers came to look at the child Dahlia carried in her arms, all whispering words of fear and terror. She heard none of it. They followed Dahlia to the edge of the forest and watched as she slipped back into the trees._

_Darker and dark the world around them got but they pushed on until they reached the same spot, they had seen Dahlia summon Klaus’s father mere moments and months earlier. With the snap of her fingers, Dahlia had flames surrounding her, giving some much needed light to the darkness. She placed a rather quiet infant on the ground, whipping around when she heard the branches of trees break against someone’s footsteps. Freya stepped out of the darkness and gazed at her aunt._

_Caroline watched an exchange, sharp words from Dahlia while Freya bypassed her and went for her brother. She knelt down next to him and kissed his forehead. She turned to her aunt and said something in a sweet voice. Dahlia looked down at the girl, who sat down by baby Klaus and started singing to him. Dahlia turned and began to summon what Caroline assumed was Klaus’s father. She watched as Freya sang to the baby until her eyes were pulled to the darkness at the edge of the forest._

_The roots of the trees pulled from the ground, a thunderous rip as the dirt flew in the air. Eyes blinked in the shadows, gazing at the bundle on the ground. Freya reached down and picked up the baby and walked towards the roots. The eyes stared at the small girl, who looked at them with no fear. She reached down and picked up her brother, cradling him in her arms as though she had a million times before. Slowly she walked towards the trees and the eyes._

_Once Freya was standing directly in front of the eyes, she laid her brother down upon the ground and glared up at them. She said something in a stern voice; or at least as stern as a five-year-old could be. The beast in the darkness cocked its head, looking at the brave little girl with interest and then slowly nodded its head, agreeing to whatever terms the girl gave._

_“What did she say to him?” Caroline whispered, gently to Klaus. Even though she knew that those in the scene they were watching could not hear them, part of her was afraid they would disrupt them. However, Dahlia remained still, gazing at her master with longing while Freya kissed her brother on the top of the head one last time._

_“She told him my name and to care for me, because one day we would be reunited. I would do something for her when she needed me.” Klaus told her with a smile, but Caroline could not take her eyes away from Freya. The little girl laid the baby down upon the ground and backed away. The roots of the trees inched closer until they were able to wrap the baby in their grasp, creating something that looked almost like a cradle. Slowly, the roots pulled the baby into the darkness and Caroline could see the outline of the beast looking down. It appeared to have reached down and picked the infant who had still yet to utter a single cry._

_The beast gave one last blinking look towards Freya and Dahlia. The monster blinked and in a second, a tree root whipped up and struck quickly that Caroline almost missed the movement entirely. The tree root whipped across Dahlia’s face, severing her head from her body completely. Caroline screamed out in terror, unable to take her eyes off the rolling of Dahlia’s head on the ground; her jaw slacked open and eyes wide in shock. Freya looked at the head but did not appear surprised and turned away from it as though she was bored._

_“Come.” Klaus placed his hand on Caroline’s shoulder and waved his hand. Caroline was used to the world changing so quickly that she did not even notice the shift anymore. They walked through the forest and hundreds of days had to pass when they reached the village again. “Mikael returned eventually, and Esther greeted him as though no time had passed.”_

_“They look older.” Caroline whispered, her body still reeling from the sight of Dahlia’s death. Gone was little Freya and in her place was a woman who was as beautiful as she was cold. A man with light brown hair whispered in her ear, appearing displeased with the magic that was appearing around him. This had to be Finn because the other man beside him was a grown man Caroline recognized. Elijah._

_“Yes. Time moved on. Mikael returned and my mother bore him three more demonic spawn.” Caroline turned to see another familiar face. Kol was lifting rocks and sticks into midair as though it was nothing, laughing at his blatant ease of the use of magic. “Kol was a trickster and his mischief always landed him into trouble.” Then the beautiful woman who came to Caroline’s house the night the cacodemon was spawned waltz out of one of the huts, two men following behind her. It was clear that she had just had sex with both of them, for her furs were uneven on her body and both men refusing to look at the other. “Rebekah never was able to satiate her lust. Men and woman are drawn to her, eventually Rebekah would grow to consume her romantic parents, leaving a long trail of bodies behind her.”_

_A new laughter sounded from her other side and Caroline turned to see a young boy run across the village, dressed in furs and a necklace of bone around his neck. Blood was smeared on his hands and mouth, yet he was laughing as though a prank had just been pulled off successfully. He was beautiful and for a moment, Caroline thought she was looking at a younger version of Klaus._

_“Who is he?”_

_“Henrik. The youngest and last of Mikael’s children. He is possibly the most innocent of us all. All he ever wants is a friend yet, he does not understand that one should not consume friends.” The villagers all gave Henrik a wide birth and Freya made her way to her youngest sibling. She knelt down in front of him and gave him a wide smile. She reached out, wiping the blood from his face as a terrifying scream could be heard from somewhere else in the village as the body of a dead child was found. “The village was terrified of Esther’s children, but she was their high priestess. Their demonic natures were taking root and yet there was nothing they could do. Freya had visions of the future while Finn buried his magic deep into his skin until he burst, causing damage all around him. Elijah knew things that should even be possible yet, an intelligence that was unrivaled. Kol causing mayhem at every turn and Rebekah seducing the entire village in a never-ending hunger while Henrik murdered their children; and this is them at their most innocent.”_

_“They grew up here. On earth?” Klaus nodded. “And what of you?”_

_“I grew up in hellfire. Breathing in the smell of fire and brimstone every day. I knew nothing of the world above until I was an adult.” Klaus replied and Caroline turned to him, ignoring the rest of his siblings; who were all focusing now on Henrik and the body of a young boy bring brought out from somewhere deep into the village. Caroline reached up and cupped his face, gazing into his eyes, not caring for the sobbing mother of the dead boy who laid out on the ground or the crackling of the prehistoric fire behind them. “Caroline?”_

_“Show me.” She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. Understanding what she was asking, Klaus reached down and grasped her into a far deeper kiss. He brought her body to be as close to him as possible. Caroline wrapped her arms around his shoulders and fell into the kiss easily, enjoying the taste of him on her lips. There was a part of her that wanted to tear his clothes from his body, litter them onto the ground and take him; marking him as hers so no other could touch him._

_This primal feeling was so intense that she didn’t even realize that not once had she felt an ounce of horror as she watched the past unravel around her. Shock and fear, yes, but not horror. Perhaps it was the mark or maybe they felt like nothing more than stories, but something was shifting inside of Caroline as she poured herself into that kiss. When Klaus pulled away, his eyes glazed over and Caroline realized that part of her, something deep inside her began to latch onto him. She was breathing heavy and a desire to continue, pulsing in her veins to kiss him again but she refrained. Now was not the time for her to act on those desires._

_“Welcome to my childhood home, Caroline.”_

_She pulled away from his arms and looked around her. They were no longer standing in the village that history had since long forgotten but instead somewhere else. It was a cold room with dark stone walls and a large window that looked out onto a world that Caroline had only ever seen in her dreams. She moved to gaze down at the chaos below. The sky was a deep and ominous purple. There were giant walls and valleys made of nothing but black stone that Caroline knew if she touched them, it would burn her skin. She saw was appeared to be a purple ocean, but the waves seemed wrong._

_Then there was the non-existent sound. It was eerily silent, not even a pin drop could be heard within the room. However, if Caroline closed her eyes and concentrated, she could hear the distant screams of some damned soul enduring their eternal torment. It took a few turns before Caroline realized that the room she stood in was in fact a nursery. An ancient look cradle was pushed against the far wall and Caroline could see something moving from inside. She walked across the room, passing strange looking toys, a plus rug on the ground and a tall bookshelf with books that Caroline wondered if they should even exist in the time period that was occurring on earth at that moment. Caroline stared down at the baby in the crib and he appeared to be very content. She could not help but smile at how innocent he looked, knowing that he was anything but. As she gazed down at him, it felt as though he was actually seeing her, the pale grey-blue eyes she had looked into a thousand times gazed back up at her and for a moment she felt unnerved._

_Klaus waved his hand and the scene shifted. Caroline watched as the infant grew into a toddler and then a small child. Klaus lead her through was she could only describe as a fantastical manor, with dark purple glass flooring and black brimstone walls. As a child, Klaus roamed the halls, passing all manner of creatures that only the darkest pits of despair could produce. Creatures that slithered and hissed or beings with a thousand legs that crawled upon the walls. Demons, monsters and screaming souls could be heard echoing in the halls._

_The child version of Klaus was fearless. He spoke to every nightmare creature he passed, and it almost seemed as though they doted on him. Anything Klaus wanted, these creatures provided in a way that if they refused, they would be terrified of the consequences. Suddenly, the world around them began to shake with monstrous footsteps. However, neither version of Klaus, the child or the one who stood before her, seemed afraid. If anything, they looked towards the giant doors that lead what Caroline assumed was outside the manor._

_Caroline waited with bated breath until the doors burst open and something came stomping through it. Closer and closer the creature came, and Caroline felt her entire insides freeze. However, neither Klaus nor his child version seemed afraid. If anything, they seemed excited. The door burst open and a creature who had to have been at least eight feet tall. He had horns that were ridged and curled at the ends, almost looking like the horns that were on a ram’s head. His body looked like that of a goat and he had hooves for feet. His face was long and narrow, a snout for a nose and red eyes that pierced through Caroline’s soul._

_Her gut was telling her to run, to flee from this creature that felt like nothing but pure evil. Yet she was frozen in place, unable to move or shift from her spot in the stone hallway. Klaus gripped her hand, drawling circles on the back of it to calm her. The child version of Klaus walked over to the beast, who was holding out its hand, and he took it happily. The floor shook again as the beast took the child out of the manor and through the massive stone doors. Klaus pulled Caroline to follow them and was laid behind the doors was something she wasn’t expecting._

_The screaming grew louder and louder; pain and torture lingered around every corner. Flames flickered between each brimstone and if Caroline looked into the cracks, she could a human soul being burned and charred in the flames; their flesh pulling from their bones and eyes wide in horrified terror. Eternal pain as punishment for whatever crimes them committed during their life._

_Farther and farther the beast leads them, and Caroline could witness every manner of torture imagined. She saw people prodded with hot sticks by terrifying creatures to those being skinned while they were still conscious. There were rooms that lingered in the stone, each door containing nightmares designed for those who entered. Klaus told her how each door was different, how some contained a person’s fear of clowns or giant spiders with a taste for blood, but Caroline could not focus on what he said, taking in the horrors surrounding her._

_The beast led them to what could only be considered a beach. The purple waves were ebbing and flowing and a chaotic manner similar to the sea on the surface but there was something off about them. Caroline walked closer to the waves and as she peered into the water, it was not her reflection staring back at her. Instead it was the eyes of a thousand souls drowning over and over again. She jumped back, and Klaus wrapped his arms around her, causing her to relax against his touch. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, and she closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of him; the scent of salt and brimstone overwhelming her._

_“Shh, it’s okay. You’ll never be harmed here. Look.” Caroline opened he eyes and saw the beast sitting on the sand next to the child. The child spoke happily to his after and she swore that there was a slight chuckle coming from the monster. It was a macabre scene in the sense that if she was not standing in the place of eternal torment and Klaus’s father was not a beast, then the scene of fatherly affection would be heartwarming. “I spent hours here with my father and never once did I think that there was anything different about it. He would tell me stories of the surface, and what people were like. He told me of my siblings, having kept tabs on them because he knew that one day, I would see them again.”_

_“This was your home. Hell. This is Hell and you were raised here. This is your domain.”_

_“I was raised here but this is not my domain. I do not rule over the gates of Hell, Sweetheart. That job belongs to my father.” Caroline’s insides went cold as the obvious suddenly hit her. The realization of what Klaus was trying to tell her became apparent. She looked towards the scene again, ignoring the child but focusing on the beast before her. The pieces were falling into place. Why the cacodemon called Klaus a bastard and why Esther would have fallen into bed with the beast so easily, only later wanting to carve its child from her womb._

_“Your father reins over Hell?” Caroline asked and Klaus nodded, eyeing her carefully. He said nothing more, allowing the wheels to turn in her head. Klaus was not just a demon. No. He was something so much more. Everything Caroline had seen, it was just the tip of the surface. Looking at the small child, who was now standing on the side of the water, letting the waves wash over his toes. “What is he? What is his name?”_

_“Such a complicated question. Some say he is a demon. Some say he is a fallen angel who was once one of God’s most beautiful children. As you saw, when my father molds himself to look like one of you, he is very beautiful. However, he prefers the form his father cursed him with when he fell into the depths of Hell.” Caroline sucked in breath, still looking at the beast, wondering why anyone would choose to look like such a creature. Especially, when he could look similar to Klaus. “As for his name, well, he has many.”_

_“Pick one.”_

_“How about two? I think the ones Western culture is most familiar with is Satan or maybe Lucifer.” Klaus’s tone was far too easy, almost as though there was a forced lightness to it that did not suit him. Caroline looked at him with wide eyes but felt no fear. Instead, she was consumed with the terrifying truth that was crashing around her. Caroline wondered why Cami would choose Klaus to protect her; why Klaus would have the ability to do so. He was not just a demon, but something more._

_“Holy shit, you’re the Anti-Christ.” Caroline practically yelled and Klaus could not help but laugh. The sound mixed with the crashing waves and it held that eerie joy he held that night in the bar when they met. She remembered how the lights flickered and dimmed but how she didn’t feel afraid of him. She still willingly had sex with him and now, knowing everything, she still wanted to do it again._

_“I suppose that is one way of putting it.” Klaus shrugged. “My father is nothing more than that to me, my father. He needed an heir for the day he decides he no longer wants to rein over Hell. Until that day, I will remain in my domain, visiting from time to time but one day I will rule over Hell and I hope I’m not alone.”_

_The words crashed over Caroline and the sense of longing in his voice made her want to say yes. She wanted to mark him on that beach without a single thought but once again held back. While in theory it would be romantic to mark him on some Hell beach, poetic irony, Caroline needed to know more._

_“And your siblings? What of them?”_

_“It wasn’t until their demon sides fully began to take root that I met them. Their magic was always strong but as they grew older, they did not know how to control it, especially Finn who spent more time suppressing his nature than embracing it. Eventually, Freya and Elijah summoned me. It was my first summoning and I did not know what was happening at first. When I knew what I was being summoned for, I helped them control their demonic nature. I taught them how to stop the magic from consuming them but instead to embrace the demon within them. Over time, we grew close, but they still lived on the surface and I in the underworld. So, I created a way for us be together without Mikael learning of it.” Klaus paused, looking down at Caroline with a thousand unasked questions. “Do you want to see?”_

_“Yes.” Klaus leaned down to kiss her again and Caroline went happily. Kissing him was no burden, even if it was a way for him to show her his past. This kiss was like the others, but she could feel Klaus’s fear behind it. Through the bond she could sense the fear of rejection, and that Caroline would not want anything to do with him once this mess was over. While she was undecided on her actions, despite the fact that her entire body itched to mark him, Caroline wanted to let him know that she did not regret knowing him._

_When they broke apart, Caroline looked around and found herself back in the Abattoir. It was different and bare compared to the night she had been there. The stairs were made of stone and not a single railing to be found. No artwork or bookshelves on the walls. Caroline looked up and saw that there was no ceiling but instead it gazed into a purple sky that made Caroline wonder where exactly the Abattoir was._

_“You made this place to see your siblings?”_

_“Yes. You see, Mikael, while having a limited interest in his children was possessive over them. He still did not know that the son of Satan was birthed by the high priestess who bore his children. While my mother did not want me, for my siblings’ sake, I did not want her to have to face Mikael’s wrath for her affair with my father. So, I created a place, a doorway between my domain and the earth’s surface. Only those who share my blood, or I bring through the doorway can enter.”_

_“Like the pentagram you placed around my home?” Klaus nodded with a prideful smile, pleased that she made the connection. Caroline wanted to retort, make a comment about not being just a pretty face but froze when laughter could be heard. She turned to see a version of Klaus that mirrored the one who stood beside her now, dressed in nothing but furs and leather, smiling widely. Freya and Rebekah on each of his arms, both looking pleased to see him._

_Time pressed forward and different days passed before her eyes. Some with all seven of the siblings, laughing and enjoying their time together while others it was Klaus spending time with each individually. Caroline noticed that he spent the most time with the youngest, Henrik who never aged more than a small boy for eight._

_“Henrik’s magic manifested itself early and strong, he was never really ever to out-grown that childlike appearance or mentality. Much like Elijah’s intelligence or Rebekah’s beauty, it was just the form of demon he became.” Klaus replied, feeling Caroline’s confusion. “For years we were able to go undetected and Mikael never would have learned of our visits if it hadn’t been for Finn.” Klaus waved his hand and the world shifted. Before Caroline stood a worried Finn, in deep conversation with Esther whose beauty was falling away with age. “Finn and my mother had always been close, especially due to him rejecting the demon part of himself. When the guilt from keeping this secret ate at him, he confessed it to our mother.”_

_“Was she angry?”_

_“Yes and no but more worried that her secret would be discovered. Finn never realized what would happen and Freya tried to her best to keep him from confessing but she always knew he would.” The world folded back into the Abattoir and violent fight broke out between Kol and Finn. Rebekah was on the sidelines, holding Henrik to her while Freya and Klaus whispered to one another. It was Elijah who stepped between the brothers, ending the feud. “Mikael could sense our mother’s fear through their bond, having marked over and over once her marks had faded. Once he knew what my mother had done, everything fell apart.”_

_Caroline walked over to Klaus and leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips. He was hesitant to show her the rest, but it wasn’t out of fear that he would reject him; but over the fact that it was a hard memory that he was not sure he wanted to relive. Slowly, Klaus fell into the kiss and Caroline felt the world around her move and shift. When the kiss ended and she looked around, she once again found herself in the forest that she had first laid eyes upon Esther._

_Gone was the cheerful and powerful wiccan, replaced by a woman whose fear consumed her. Caroline could read the panic and terror on her features; her blue shifted in the darkness and she held a sack to her chest. She moved rocks around her, creating a pentagram and stepped inside it as she worked quickly._

_“She ran.” Caroline stated the obvious and Klaus nodded. Before Esther was able to complete the stone circle dozens upon dozens of people came out of the woods; all members of the village for Caroline had seen a few of their faces already. They began to chant, all the while Esther pleaded with them to spare her. One member pulled Esther from the stone circle, turning to face the darkness of the forest._

_Her eyes widened with terror as Mikael stepped out of the darkness, a cold look consuming his features. Esther began to cry, pleading with him instead of his followers. Yet, Mikael showed her no pity. The followers formed a circle around Esther, magically pinning her to the ground. Another woman stepped forward, holding a stone knife a stone knife. Words were whispered from the priestess as she carved symbols onto Esther’s skin._

_“The Shadows had not been born yet, at least not in the way you know them. It takes generations for them to be able to consume the power the coven practices before they have any strength to them. So, at this time, the sacrifices where chosen by the coven themselves. It was easier then, for Mikael’s worshipers were not spread across the world. In order to pay for her betrayal, Mikael commanded that she pay with her life.”_

_Much like before, on the sidelines was a small child however this one did not seem to be in fear. If anything, the child appeared to be prepared for what was occurring. Caroline watched as the new priestess plunged a knife into Esther’s heart, but unlike before, Caroline could not look away. She slowly watched as the life drained out of Esther’s eyes and it wasn’t until there was nothing left of her that Klaus touched her shoulder._

_Klaus did not lean down and kiss her lips. Instead he pressed his lips to her forehead and when he let go, she turned around to find herself in the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. The sky was blue above her and clear. The sun warm and inviting. She could hear birds chirping in the distance and there were blooming flowers all around her. Statues of people could be seen among the flowers, all with peaceful expression on their faces but Caroline felt as though their eyes moved and followed anything that caught them. A stone path led to different parts of the garden and it was nothing like anything she had ever seen. It was paradise and yet in the way Klaus went still told everything Caroline needed to know._

_“Mikael’s domain.”_

_“Yes. This is his small kingdom where he reins over as lord and master. The souls who gave themselves over live in a false paradise until Mikael grows tired of them.” At that moment, Caroline saw a terrified looking Esther running through the garden. She appeared young again, returned to her beauty she had in her youth. Her blonde hair flowing behind her as she ran, looking over her shoulder, terrified of whatever was chasing her. “Mikael tormented her for a thousands of years, at least. He stopped answering the summons of his followers or collecting their souls. He turned the rest of the souls he owned into stone, leaving him alone with my mother. Instead, he focused only on Esther, punishing for her betrayal for three thousand years. My siblings were heartbroken over her loss, but Mikael shut his gates, no one could enter. We tried but to no avail. My siblings pleaded with my father, but he refused. Esther served her purpose to him and her fate was no concern to him.”_

_Caroline wanted to ask if he pleaded with his father but by the cold look on his face, she knew the answer. He never loved his mother for she never loved him. Yet, he could see the pain in his eyes as he gazed down at the woman who was pleading with Mikael and wondered if he regretted that decision. She knew better than to ask._

_Caroline watched as Mikael stripped Esther bare, her screams echoing in the garden. Mikael’s beautiful face marred with anger and cruelty. He turned Esther on her stomach, gripping her blonde hair, pulling it back so he could whisper in her ear. Caroline had to turn away, listening to the torture Mikael inflected upon Esther’s body. Her screams could be heard echoing through the air. The sound sent chills ringing down her body, unable to block out the pain._

_When the torture grew silent, Caroline pulled her face from Klaus’s chest, looking over to Esther and Mikael. Esther held her arms around herself, pleading with Mikael but he gave no indication of being forgiving. He stood before her and placed his finger on Esther’s forehead, causing her skin to turn grey; hardening and cracking. She screamed in agony and her pleas continued until the stone consumed her completely that screaming became impossible. Mikael gave her one last look of hatred before turning his back on her, weaving through the stone pathway and deeper into his garden._

_“He hunted us after that. He began his coven once again and it was nearly impossible for all of us to take him down with his followers at his beck and call.” Klaus’s hoarse voice sounded. He gripped her hand and leaned forward to kiss her. It was chaste and quick but when Caroline opened her eyes, she found that she was back at the Abattoir. This time books and paintings and furniture appeared. Rebekah laid on a wooden bench, dressed in an elegant gown that made her look as though she was a beautiful medieval princess. “We hid in the Abattoir for nearly a century, devising a plan. However, Freya already had one.”_

_Freya was standing in the middle of room, glaring at Elijah and Finn who were scolding her; angry at something she had said. Yet, Caroline cared not for their words or tones. Instead she focused on Freya and how familiar she seemed in that moment. It was the maroon dress and the elegant updo that made her freeze. This was the Freya Caroline knew. It was the painting that hung in Bonnie’s shot and the one she spoke to as a small child._

_“The paintings. This was right before Mikael cursed her, isn’t it?”_

_“Yes.” Klaus stood before his sister and gazed upon her in the flesh and bone; a look of mourning on his features. “She devised a plan all on her own, knowing exactly how it would play out. Clairvoyance was always a gift and a curse of hers.”_

_Klaus reached out to touch her, but his hand went through her face, reminding him that they were not really there at all. Freya turned away from Klaus’s outstretched and walked through him. She made her way to Kol and Elijah, placing her hands on their cheeks before kissing the top of Rebekah’s head and doing the same to Finn. Henrick, who was curled up in the corner stepped out, tears streaming down his face and begged for her to stay. Freya whispered something sweet, kissed his head and turned away from him. A younger Klaus dressed in the clothing fitting a medieval duke was waiting by the door. He stopped her with a hand on her forearm. They said nothing but Klaus nodded his head and watched as Freya walked out the door._

_“She said her goodbyes, knowing she would never be back.” Caroline whispered, looking at the solemn faces of the remaining six siblings. Rebekah stood from her bench and looked around at the rest of her siblings, tears streaming down her impossibly beautiful face. It contorted into a fit of rage and flipped a table with inhuman strength; a howl of anger echoed from her lips. Her Klaus held out his hand and Caroline took it, following him through the same iron gates she walked through the night in New Orleans. When they stepped through them, it was not a busy city street but a haunting looking field of wheat. The sky was grey and cloudy, telling Caroline that it was going to rain at any moment._

_Freya was standing in the middle of the wheat field, looking over her shoulder as though she was waiting for something. All around her, Caroline could hear something running in the field, echoes of childish laughter. Figures in black robes ran around her, laughing in merriment. They were impossible to keep up with as they ran. Freya turned in a circle, gazing at them and not an ounce of fear on her face. To her left, Mikael calmly walked through the stocks, looking at his first-born child with a stony expression._

_“Freya had always been his favorite. The novelty of a child being born that saved her the same fate as our mother.” Freya began muttering what sounded like a curse or some form of hex. The wind began to pick up around them and she held out her hand, causing Mikael to flinch in pain. “She tried, half-heartedly in order to subdue him. However, Freya was one demon, only four thousand years old. Mikael was far old and stronger. He overpowered her easily, but it bought us time to take out his followers that now followed him around like puppies.”_

_Mikael gripped Freya’s neck and for a moment Caroline thought that she was about to turn to stone like Esther but instead something else happened. Her skin contorted and morphed, turning to paint and where Freya once stood was a scroll with her faced etched onto the canvas. Mikael was so focused on that painting that Caroline wondered if he intended to have a gallery full of his children immortalized on canvas, and in punishment for siding with Klaus. Caroline was so focused on Mikael’s face that she barely noticed what was happening around her; and neither did Mikael._

_Klaus and his siblings murdered each of his followers one by one as quietly as they could; however, it was a piercing scream and Henrik stepping out from the corn stocks covered in blood that drew both of their attentions. By then it was too late, for the coven was dead, their bodies littering the cornfield. The remaining six siblings stepped out from the stocks and began to chant the same spell that Freya had._

_“Freya was too weak to take on Mikael alone but the five of them and myself were strong enough to bound him. We were unable to kill him or turn him to stone like he did our mother, but we bounded him to that garden, unable to leave it.” Caroline watched as the six demons cursed Mikael, who was withering on the ground; screaming in agony. She could hear his bones breaking as they were pulled into the ground, being sent back to their home. “It took time but the few remainders of his coven, or at least a few generations down created a spell that would allow Mikael to walk on the surface for a few hours to obtain the souls they gave to him.”_

_“The deaths leading up to the sacrifice.” Caroline said grimly, thinking on Matt and Klaus nodded. She looked at each of the siblings and their grim faces. Their eyes were glued to the ground where Mikael had once been. All that was left was the scorch marks in the shape of his body and the parchment that held a painting of Freya. The other Klaus stepped forward and bent down to pick it up. He gazed down at the beautiful face of his sister, appearing sad at the sacrifice she gladly made._

_Part of Caroline wondered if it had been in vein._

_Klaus pulled her into his arms, leading her away from their circle and weaved through the cornfield. Soon the world shifted completely, and they were back at the Abattoir, watching another version of Klaus hanging a now framed painting of Freya on the wall; Rebekah standing beside him, tears streaming down her face._

_“I made as many replicas of that painting in order to Freya to travel where she pleased. We were unable to release her from that prison but the least would do was give her the world instead. Somehow, she even managed to place a portrait of herself in Mikael’s domain, simply to torture him for all eternity.”_

_“And the rest of you?”_

_“We all have our stories.” Klaus chuckled and waved his hand. The scene before her could only be a few years later, if not a century. Finn was running through a large series of stones, chasing a woman with long red hair, her laughter echoing behind her. “Finn fell in love with a Scottish priestess named Sage.” Klaus reached out to touch the stone while Caroline watched as Finn chased the beautiful woman. “She had built this temple in his honor, to show her love. Finn marked in the same way I did you, and in return, Sage marked him; giving herself to him for all eternity.”_

_“This was how you knew that marking me would work, because Finn had already done it before?” Caroline asked. Her voice gentle as she turned to him. His face was frozen and vulnerable, as though he was terrified of her answer. She placed her hand on his chest and leaned forward to place a kiss just above his heart. He sucked in a breath at the feeling of her lips on him._

_“Yes. Finn told me it would work. Sage and he live happily on the surface, for Finn never built his own domain. He prefers to pretend that he is human while Sage just pretends to be a gifted wiccan and not the consort of a demon.” Klaus chuckled. “It’s always Scotland though. Finn likes to remain here to remind her of the early days of their courtship.”_

_“And the rest?” Klaus smiled at her eagerness, leaning forward to kiss her. Once again, Caroline felt the world shift; the push and pull as Klaus took them somewhere new in history. When they broke apart, Caroline found herself sitting in an elegant room filled with artifacts and books piled high. Elijah strolled through the aisles, wearing a robe that reminded Caroline of an elegant monk from the Renaissance._

_“Elijah gathered a massive following of his own.” Caroline whipped around to face Klaus with wide eyes. “Fret not, Elijah does not take human sacrifices. No, he takes souls of only the brightest and most talented. Artists, geniuses and those whose existence would set the course of history perked Elijah’s interest. He started The Strix. A secret society that offers their souls in exchange for greatness. Elijah should be credited with setting the course of human history.”_

_Caroline looked at Elijah, completely baffled as he wheeled a deal with someone, she assumed to be a significant figure in history. Part of her wanted to ask, knowing that Klaus would tell her, but she felt that she couldn’t utter the words. She stepped forward and looked down at the books that lingered on the table Elijah sat at with a balding man. A knife appeared in a flash of black smoke in Elijah’s hand. He slit a deep cut into the palm of his hand before handing the knife to other man. The man followed suit and Elijah held out his hand which the other man took it happily, a deal being sealed._

_“Kol faced a far worse fate.” Klaus muttered and placed his hand on her shoulder. The world morphed around her and changed into the bedroom an elegant home; or at least what she assumed was elegant during what Caroline assumed was still the Renaissance. A family was curled together, tears in their eyes as they started at the four-poster bed. A beautiful woman laid on a bed, tied down and gaged. A priest was standing over her, pressing a cross to her forehead. The girl screamed as steam sizzled off her skin. Caroline could hear the cross burning her and remembered how it felt to hold that bible in her hand. “He had a tendency to possess innocent people for the sheer fun of it. Caused a bit of mayhem and really made exorcisms a regular practice. It was annoying and drew too much attention to the concept of demons.”_

_Caroline couldn’t help but snort at Klaus’s tone, just in time for the door to the bedroom to burst open. Klaus and Elijah both strolled through the door, Klaus snapping his fingers as he did. The neck of the priest snapped and broke, causing his body to crumble on the ground. The family screamed at them, terrified at what they had seen. Elijah pressed his fingers to the girl’s forehead, and a dark essence seeped from her mouth and eyes; the dark smoke formed into the shape of a body. A moment later Caroline could make out the rough from of Kol. Kol stood, grinning wickedly at Klaus, who looked furious. Klaus reached out and gripped Kol by the neck. Elijah walked around the bed, bypassing the still screaming family and pressed his hand to his chest._

_“We bounded him to the Abattoir. We tend to let him out now and again but Kol cannot help himself. He causes mayhem and mischief wherever he goes. It draws attention and soon everyone is trying to exercise demons. It is unfortunate but Kol cannot be trusted alone; at least not with the right motivation.”_

_“What motivation did you give him for collecting my aunt?” Caroline asked in a slight harsh tone. She remembered in the dream when she danced with Kol that he had mentioned that it was rare for Klaus to let him out on the surface. “A free pass on the surface for a few hours to do as he pleased before sending my aunt off to the underworld.” Klaus shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. “Seriously?”_

_“I hear New Orleans had quiet the party that night. Kol promised not to possess anyone but that did not mean he couldn’t have any fun. We gave him a bit of leeway when turned the sorority house at Tulane into a massive orgy. That was easy to cover. Blame it on a few drinks believe they all had a one-night stand where their partners snuck out the next morning.”_

_“Charming.” Caroline replied in an unimpressed voice, causing Klaus to chuckle. “And what of Rebekah?”_

_Klaus picked up Caroline’s hand and kissed the back of his, the world flashing forward in time. Soon Caroline found herself standing in the middle of Victorian England. An elegant Rebekah was strolling down a dark street, as a carriage was rod past her. She tilted her head, gazing at the passenger in the carriage. The driver stopped and a man in a black top hat jumped out. Rebekah gave him a beautiful smile before turning down an alleyway and vanishing into the darkness. The man took off after her, leaving a confused driver behind._

_Caroline and Klaus walked down the alleyway to see Rebekah pushed up against the brick wall, her skirts up around her waist. The man’s breeches were undone and halfway down his legs. He was thrusting wilding into her, Rebekah screaming out in ecstasy as she let the man take her. She tossed the top hat from his head onto the ground, weaving her fingers through his dark hair and brought his lips to hers. Caroline could see that the kiss was passionate, and his hips thrusted harder and harder into her. However, soon the kiss turned wrong. The man froze, his eyes popping open and his skin turning grey. The life was soon drained from him and once nothing was left, his body collapsed to the stone ground._

_“Rebekah spends her time claiming the souls of her lovers. She is never able to stop the lust from consuming her. She never satisfied, always hungry for the flesh of men and woman. Taking them bed only to feed off their souls.” Caroline remembered the brief moment she met Rebekah, and how she itched to reach out and touch her. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to be in Rebekah’s bed, only to have the life sucked out of her. Klaus growled as though he knew what she was thinking. “Caroline. Let us go.”_

_Klaus pulled her away from Rebekah who was adjusting her corset as though he thought Caroline was going to reach out and touch her. The world shifted quickly around them in a fashion she was not expecting. It was brutal and pulled at Caroline in a way that far harsher than before and she realized that it was because Klaus did not like her reaction to his sister._

_“No need to be jealous.” Caroline muttered as she looked around. They stood in the middle of a playground, surrounded by houses and perfectly manicured lawns. Children dressed in jeans and shirts played around them, making Caroline realize that they stood in the middle of modern-day suburbia. The children appeared happy, playing as their parents chatted on benches. “Henrik.”_

_“Yes. He never could stop his desire to find a friend.” Caroline watched as Henrik whispered into the ear of a little girl and her eyes appeared glazed over. Henrik stood and walked away from her, only for the girl to follow; not a single person watching as the girl left the park in a zombie like state. “Her body was found three days later and her soul forever playing with my brother in the afterlife. He has quite the collection by now. At least he stopped mutating the bodies.”_

_“And you?” Caroline turned away from the children, feeling as though Henrik’s desire for the souls of children terrified her more than the others. She gazed up at Klaus, blocking her mind from the murder that was about to occur. “What happened to you after Mikael was bound? Where did you go?”_

_“Home. I went home.”_

_Klaus leaned forward and kissed her. Caroline fell into the kiss easily, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. The transition was easier this time, almost as though he wanted to make up for the rough pull he had just done. Caroline did not mind; for the stories of his siblings were fascinating but she wanted to know him. She wanted to see his home and where she would spend eternity if she returned the mark._

_When they pulled away, Caroline found herself back into the world with a purple sky and black stone. Yet, not a single scream could be heard. She gazed around and saw no ocean of torture souls or fire burning in brimstone but instead black mountains in the distance. On the top of a big hill was a haunting looking manor. It looked like it was built to house the ghosts of the damned. It was made of the same stone as the rest of the Hell and the windows she could see were made of stained glass. Behind those windows, she could see the faces of the souls Klaus collected, pressing their hands against the glass; begging to get out._

_“Your domain. Is a manor? On the outskirts of Hell?” Caroline whispered, not bothering waiting for his answer. Her instincts were both telling her to run and go forward. This was where Cami’s soul laid in and endless sleep and the place where Klaus dwelled. Caroline slowly began to make her way up the brimstone stairway, but Klaus gabbed her hand, spinning her around. She was about to tell him off but the terrified look on his face made her pause._

_“Something is wrong. We need to leave. NOW.” Klaus pulled her into a rough kiss, the pull beginning before their lips met. There was nothing sweet or gentle about this kiss. Caroline could feel the desperation, his fingers gripped her hips tightly; making her realize that they would be leaving a bruise if this was her real body._

When Caroline broke away from the kiss, she found herself standing back in her kitchen, Klaus’s arms still around her. However, when she took a breath, she started choking and coughing as smoke entered her lungs and had been breathing it for a while. She slumped against Klaus’s chest, her eyes becoming hazy.

Caroline’s entire house was burning to the ground with her inside it.

“Stay with me Caroline.” Klaus scooped her up into his arms and carried her through flames. He stepped through them easily; for the fire did not even touch him. The flames weaved around him as though touching him would hurt them and not him. As they passed through her front door, she could see her door burning; the pentagram shining bright as the flames licked it. When Klaus was out the front door, it shut behind them and nearly consumed itself in flames. “Shh, you’re safe.”

Klaus laid her on the ground, petting the top of her head as she watched her childhood home be consumed in the fire. This was no small fire. It was one that had been burning for a while and if they had not been locked in the kiss that told Klaus’s story, perhaps they could have put it out. Caroline turned her head and gripped Klaus tighter.

“Klaus.” Caroline coughed, pointing towards the street. Three hooded figures stood there, dressed in black robes watching not only the fire but Klaus and Caroline. Slowly, they turned and moved off into opposite directions. Caroline blinked and they were gone as though they had not been there in the first place. “Who are they?”

“Shh, it’s okay. We will figure it out.”

The last thing Caroline remembered before she passed out was the feeling of Klaus kissing the top of her head and the sounds sirens echoing in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides behind sofa*
> 
> But hey, you don't have a long wait!!! Monday is right around the corner.


	16. A Hint of Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a bit graphic during one scene.

Everything was bright. Too bright. Caroline groaned as her eyes blinked open. The sun was streaming through the window, causing Caroline to wince. She went to move her hand to her eyes, to block out the sun but found that she could not move her hand. She looked down to find that her wrists and feet were bound to the bed. She tried again and for a moment she thought she heard a slight tear in the leather binds. She tried to pull harder, hoping to free herself but still confused as to where she was.

“They are not going to break.” A voice sounded from across the room and Caroline turned to see Dr. Maxfield leaning against the doorframe. His expression was one of worry and it sent a wave of panic through Caroline. She gazed around the room and as the sun went behind a cloud, darkening the room ever so slightly, she realized that she was in a hospital. Again. “We had to restrain you. You inhaled a good amount of smoke and we’re worried that you hit your head harder than we thought when you first came in.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You started hallucinating Caroline. You were screaming about hooded figures and demons when you were brought in. You tried to claw the nurse’s eyes out. Do you not remember any of this?” Dr. Maxfield ask her gently, moving further into the room. Caroline’s brows creased in confusion. The last thing she remembered was being with Klaus, his memories and then her house. Her heart rate picked up and the machine beside her started going wild. She felt her breathing quicken and the air in her lungs burned. “Caroline. Calm down. Breathe. In. Out. Breath.”

“My house!” Tears pooled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Realization that everything she had, everything she owned was gone. All the photos of her father, the one she had of her mother, and everything in-between was gone. “What happened to my house? Please. Please. Please tell me there is something, _anything_ left.”

Dr. Maxfield remained silent, eyeing Caroline curiously, the hint of worry still lingering behind his eyes. He placed his hand on her shoulder, gently pressing her down onto the mattress of the hospital bed. He whispered to her gently, but it was the wave of calm that coursed through her that made her heart beat slow, and the feeling in her lung’s sooth.

_You’re safe._ Klaus’s voice echoed in the back of her head and Caroline felt herself sink back into the bed again. Klaus was with her and would never let anything happen to her while she was in this hospital. Caroline knew that she was in a predicament that could very well end her life, but Klaus would never let her soul go to Mikael.

_Strange how death doesn’t faze me like it had a few days ago._

_Stop it!_ Klaus’s snarled at her in her mind. She knew he wanted to her live, perhaps more than she did and she felt another wave of calm go through her, but this time it was it was her own emotions and not Klaus’s manipulations.

Dr. Maxfield pulled a chair close to her bedside and held one of her hands. He watched as she calmed down and the beeping beside her slow to the point that it no longer was going to summon the nurses to her bed side. She took deep breaths and tried to count backwards, noting the small smile that Dr. Maxfield gave her, it was a technique he had taught her when she was a teenager. Granted, it was not something she did often, but it was something that stuck with her.

“Caroline, I need you to look at me.” His voice was soft and gentle, causing Caroline to turn to him with fear written in her eyes. “I want you to listen carefully to me. Okay. I need you to stay calm. Can you do that?” Caroline nodded but unsure if it was a promise she could keep. “Your house is gone. The fire was too hot and spread fast. The department did what they could to contain it, but they couldn’t save your home. It burned down within an hour of the department arriving. There is nothing left.”

“What?” Caroline felt her throat go dry and the room grow foggy as her eyes filled with tears. Memories of her childhood were tied to that house and it had been the only home she had ever known. Part of her had always planned to grow old in that house, hopefully with a husband and children. While she was not ready for those things yet, she had always pictured having them in that house. Knowing that the house was gone, Caroline could not help the sobs that echoed from her lungs. “No. No. No. That’s my home.”

“I know.” Dr. Maxfield’s voice was soothing and calm. He held her hand as Caroline cried, letting everything she had been building up inside her let loose. She wanted to bury her face into the pillows to let out a painful scream of despair but given the fact that she was bound to the bed. Instead, she just let out the wail, thinking back onto the fire before everything had gone dark. She thought on the hooded figures, Bonnie and all the memories Klaus had shown her. Everything felt all too real and as though she was about to explode. “Shh, it’s okay. Let it out. You need to let it out.”

Caroline felt like she cried for hours her throat feeling raw and her eyes burring from the tears. When she was done crying, Caroline gave a small sniff and looked towards the doctor with blurry eyes. Dr. Maxfield had not moved nor left her and as much as his diagnoses and medications bothered her, she had to admit he was dedicated to his patients.

“Sorry.”

“Never say Caroline. Never feel bad about feeling something. This is a devastating loss on top of a ton of horrible things that have happened lately.” He replied but Caroline did not miss how his eyes flickered to her bound wrists. She pulled at them and if she listened closely, she could hear a slight tear in the fabric. “Caroline. I have to ask. The police are looking into the fire, worried that it might be arson. Did you burn down your home?”

“What?” Caroline looked at Dr. Maxfield as though he had lost his mind. She looked down at her wrists and realized why they were bound. She scowled at them and glared at Dr. Maxfield. She was bound to the bed because they thought she was a danger to those around her. “No! I wouldn’t burn my house down. Why would you think that?!”

“Because when you’re stressed and not sleeping, you act rashly but if you say you didn’t burn it down, I believe you.” He replied and Caroline relaxed. Dr. Maxfield always called her out when she was lying, knowing when she told a half truth. “However, my word is not going to stop an investigation from pending. Only time will tell if the police believe you or not.”

“I didn’t burn my house down.” Caroline said, shaking her head. The idea of a police investigation did not frighten her much as it would have two months ago. Now it seemed like a mundane thing compared to the prospect of dying in a sacrifice. She laid back against the bed and tilted to look at the doctor, knowing full well that he was watching her every move. She moved her hand again, trying to get herself free. “Can you take these things off?”

“No. Not tonight.”

“What? Why?”

“Because even if you didn’t burn down your house Caroline, I’m worried that you’ll harm yourself. The state that you were in when you came earlier, has me worried. You were screaming in complete horror. Maybe it was the smoke or maybe you’re not telling me something. Either way, tonight I want you to sleep and rest. Tomorrow I will see how you’re feeling and then maybe I’ll consider releasing you to your friend, Mrs. Salvatore who demanded you be released to her custody, again. You just were released from the hospital _this morning._ ”

“I don’t understand.” Caroline whispered, looking around the room and back to her old therapist. She was trying to make sense of the words that were tumbling out of his mouth. She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach and Dr. Maxfield’s solemn look did not make her feel any better. “What is happening?”

“I am admitting you to the hospital for twenty-four hours. I know we talked about this and you didn’t want that, but I feel it is for the best.” Caroline jerked upward, unable to go very far because of the restraints and started at him with wide eyes. Dr. Maxfield held out his hand and tried to calm her. A wave of anger coursed through her and she could not tell it if was her own or if it was someone else’s. When she was hit with a wave of calm, she knew that the anger was her own. Despite Klaus’s attempts to soothe her, the machine beside her was going wild again as her heart started beating faster and faster. “Caroline, calm down.”

“I didn’t do anything! I just want to go home!”

“I know. I know but the reality is, that I’m concerned Caroline. Your house burning down is suspicious and while I believe you when you say you didn’t do it, something happened. You’ve been through hell lately and I want to make sure you’re not at a breaking point where you would hurt yourself. Okay? Get through these twenty-eight hours with me and I’ll let you go home with your friend. I promise. Okay?”

_We can keep you safe here Caroline._ Klaus’s calm voice echoed in her mind and she did not know how she felt about her demonic lover siding with her therapist. It was as though they were ganging up on her, but she knew that it wasn’t the case. While she knew that they both had her best interest at heart, it did not mean she was less irritated with the both of them.

“I’m not going to hurt myself.” Caroline snapped. She spent the last few weeks wanting to _stay_ alive, that she was bot about to take her own life. No matter how much she told Dr. Maxfield that she was no harm to herself, he knew he would not believe her. Something wanted her dead, but it was not herself, but she could not dive into demons, magic and human sacrifices without him committing her to the psych ward permanently. “I just want to go home.”

_I’ll make sure you can._ The resolution in Klaus’s tone almost made Caroline feel better. She wanted to curl up and fall back to sleep, feeling as though she had woken up to a nightmare. There were a few moments when Caroline could not believe that this was her life. Part of her wanted to go back to the time before Cami died but then she remembered Klaus and how much she depended upon him; how much she cared for him.

Caroline felt a wave of affection pull through the bond. She remembered how much Klaus cared for and if she wanted nothing to do with him, he would let her go. However, Caroline couldn’t imagine her life without him, without the bond and his mark she could feel buried deep within her soul. She just wanted to live a long life first before taking her place with Klaus in that eerie manor she saw in his memories. For a moment, she lost herself in a daydream. One where she still had her home and she could come home and find Klaus there in all his demonic glory. She thought on his family and wondered if she could bear his children, much like how Esther had borne Mikael’s.

_Its…. possible._ Klaus replied but then Caroline felt a wall be raised between them. She could not make out it her thoughts made him happy or frightened. She remembered once having a conversation with Tyler of potentially having children one day in the distant future and he nearly had a panic attack, while Stefan all but wanted to start immediately. With Klaus, she could not imagine what his reaction would be.

“I’m going to give you something to help you sleep. Something that will let you rest” Dr. Maxfield stood and picked up a syringe that had been resting just behind the machine her IV was hooked up to. He picked up the tubing of the IV and injected the medication before she could protest. Caroline could tell that he planned on making sure she slept for the remainder of the night. Dr. Maxfield gave her one last sad smile before leaving the hospital room, closing the door behind him. Caroline gazed around the room and realized just how alone she was. It felt like how her house had been after Klaus had the pentagrams etched onto the wood of her doors and windows. There was not a shadow in sight that she could find, and she wondered for a moment if they marked the entire hospital, or just her room. Either way, Caroline leaned back onto the bed; closing her eyes.

She tried to focus on anything but the fact that her home was gone, burned down into nothing but ashes, and the hooded figures that wanted to sacrifice her to Mikael. She let herself fall into that daydream of Klaus and a future she knew would never exists. She imagined her home and two blonde hair children running around, blue eyed and dimpled. Caroline sat upon a blanket watching the children, a boy and a girl, chase each other around the yard. Klaus stood on the porch with his arms crossed as he looked at them with a gentle smirk on his lips.

Caroline allowed the daydream to play out as the medication took over. Her limbs became heavy and the world around her fell into a rough fog. The daydream grew hazy and the images of the children became both clearer and more terrifying. The girl turned to Caroline and her eyes flashed bright gold while the boy laughed, sending chills down her spine and her hairs stood on end.

_Sleep. You’re safe._

_Caroline found herself standing in a darkened hallway; a lacy red dress flowing around her, her blonde hair hanging around her shoulders in waves and a simple crown perched on top of her head. The floor below her feet was made of darkened black wood with a purple runner down it. The walls were narrow and if she stretched out her arms, she could press her palms flat against each of the walls. There was old wooden paneling with cracks all alongside the walls. There were gas lamps hanging on the walls, purple flickers could be seen behind the dusty glass, giving off a haunting glow into the hallway. There were dark wooden arches with a gothic design at the top. A bright red door lingered just at the end of the hall._

_Slowly, Caroline made her was towards the door, her bare feet pressing into the carpet as she went. The hall should have been freezing, for it gave a cold and eerie atmosphere but Caroline felt as though her skin was burning as though she had been pushed into a pool of freezing ice. Knowing what she knew of Klaus, Caroline knew that she was standing in his domain, the closest place to hell without being thrown into the pits of hellfire itself._

_She passed several paintings, each of the more magical than the next. Caroline heard a haunting whisper, like the sound of a music box tinkling down the hallway. She turned to her left, looking for the source of the melody and saw the painting she had become familiar with. Freya stared down at her with those beautiful blue eyes and hauntingly sharp features. Caroline remembered how she had been in Klaus’s memory and a pang of sadness coursed through her at the idea of her having to be trapped in a canvas for the rest of eternity._

_“Aperi ianuam. Et ostium rubrum.” Freya said, almost singing to her from the painting. Freya moved slightly, twisting her hand into an almost cheerful wave. Caroline smiled and returned the wave, watching as Freya’s eyes shifted towards the doorway at the end of the hall. Caroline turned to look at it before sending a curious glance towards Freya again. “Anima eius.”_

_Feeling as though she was being summoned towards the door, Caroline turned away from Freya and made her way to the door. As she continued to walk, the door felt as though it was getting farther and farther away; the hallways stretching in length and the walls growing closer and closer together. The music box melody that was coming from Freya’s painting grew fainter as she walked further and further away from her. The stretching of the hallway slowed, and Caroline eventually stood directly in front of the red door. The knob was a deep black and their appeared to be a symbol carved on it. The symbol was of a large line with a half creating a trident with the line and a circle in the center; it was Klaus’s mark. Caroline had never seen it up close, but her soul recognized it._

_This was the mark etched onto her bones._

_“Sweetheart. Not yet.” Caroline turned to see Klaus standing in the middle of the corridor. He was dressed in a long black coat that was perfect for the freezing climate. His hair was disheveled and curly. She could see a long, thick black mark peeking out from behind the white button-down shirt. Curiously, Caroline turned from the door and walked towards Klaus. He held out his hand and Caroline slipped hers into his. “One day. Just not now.”_

_Caroline pulled at his coat and pushed his shirt to the side. On his skin was two half crescent moons that appeared to be backwards, their ends touching with an arrow descending from the center. She reached out and traced the mark on his skin, something about it felt familiar. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to the symbol and to his skin. Klaus hissed at the feeling of her lips on his skin. He weaved his fingers through her curls, letting out a moan._

_“What is it?” Caroline asked turning her head upward to look at Klaus. He gave her a warm smile and his eyes burned gold. Before answering her, he leaned down and kissed her, a kiss that felt so familiar and yet so new at the same time. She fell into the kiss easily, Klaus’s fingers tracing the back of the dress pulling at the corset ties. “This mark.”_

_“You know what it is.” Klaus replied, pulling the red dress down her body and reveling her naked body to him. His eyes gazed over her body hungrily, tracing her body as though he had seen it a thousand times. “The demon is manifesting in you. Growing stronger. All you have to do is finish this. Claim me.”_

_“It’s my mark. It’s what my mark will look like once its etched onto your soul.” Caroline whispered, watching as Klaus kneeled before her. He placed a few kisses on her hip before moving a trail of his lips to her inner thigh. He gripped her leg and threw it over his shoulder, inhaling her scent at he did. He placed a kiss on her clit before dragging his tongue along the entire slit of her. “Klaus!”_

_“Dici mihi.” Klaus whispered against her skin as he continued to suck and bite at her. Caroline’s fingers went to his hair, massaging his scalp; begging him to continue this wonderful torture. One hand gripped her hip while the other traced her opening, causing Caroline to moan out his name. Slowly he inserted one finger into her and then another. “Dici mihi. Dici mihi. Dici mihi.”_

_“Klaus!” Caroline cried out as her climax hit, her entire being itching to reach out and claim him. She wanted to drag her nails down his chest, make him bleed and bury herself into his bones. “Please. Klaus. I want you. Please. Just tell me what to do.”_

_“Come to me.” Klaus whispered, placing another kiss on her inner tight before trailing a series of kisses upward. When he stood before her, Klaus leaned down and took her lips with his. He picked up her hand and kissed the inside of her wrists. She looked down and saw the same mark on her wrist that was on the doorknob behind her. “You’ll know what to do. Come to me, not in a dream and you’ll know.”_

_He leaned down and kissed her again. This time it being gentle and soft; echoing a kiss that reminded Caroline of a goodbye. She felt the familiar feeling to the world slipping through her fingers and her body becoming heavy. As her eyes fluttered open, the eerie hallway fell away in a wisp of black smoke and molded into complete darkness._

Caroline tried to move but she found that her arms were still bound to the hospital bed. She blinked her eyes open and once again found herself in a hospital room engulfed in darkness. It was late, very late and by the moon hanging high in the sky, Caroline realized that morning was a long way off. She groaned as she rolled her head to the side. She looked at the vital machine and scowled, following the tubing to her wrists were the needle was stuck in the center of her hand.

Not wanting to be bound to the bed for a moment longer, Caroline pulled at her restraint on the right. It took a few times, but she could hear the tearing with each yank. Harder and harder she pulled and eventually the strength Klaus’s mark provided allowed her to pull it completely from the bed, tearing the strap completely in half.

She reached over and undid the strap on her left arm, ripping the IV from her hand as she did. She sat up, feeling better at being free. She reached down and pulled the binding from her feet free and slid off of the hospital bed. She stumbled slightly as her feet hit the cold linoleum flooring. She gripped the side of the bed and stood upright, wondering if her issues with coordination stemmed from the medication Dr. Maxfield injected into her IV or the smoke she inhaled when the coven set her home on fire.

Caroline took a few deep breaths and slowly stood up as tall as she could. She stretched out her limbs and moved slowly towards the window, hoping to gaze out into the night; settling on the disappointment that the sky was not purple. She sat down upon the ledge, allowing herself a few moments before she stood again. The view was dimmed by the darkness, but she could see a tiny bit of courtyard below due to a streetlamp lighting up a bench used for visitors. Caroline gazed at the bench for a few seconds and nearly jumped back when she saw something crawl across the cascading light.

She nearly let out a scream, for she knew that figure. That disfigured human with charred skin and a head turned on backwards. It slowed its pace, allowing the light to gaze upon its flesh and its head rotated in order to gaze up at Caroline’s hospital room window, as though it knew exactly where she was, even if she appeared to be at least four floors above the courtyard. Her heart began to pound and she backed away from the window, her eyes growing wider at what she saw.

The Shadows were gliding against the glass, searching for a crack they could slide into. Back and forth they danced, tapping against the window. Caroline couldn’t hear them, but she knew they were whispering, begging for an entrance to get to her. She backed farther and farther away, until her back hit the closed hospital door. She slid down to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest.

_You’re safe, Sweetheart._ Klaus’s voice soothed her. _They can’t get into the hospital. I’ve ensured it._

“Yeah? Well, Mikael’s lackies just burnt down my house so forgive me if I’m a bit skeptical.” Caroline hissed out loud into the darkness. Klaus’s chuckle could be heard through the room and she would give anything to have him there with her physically. However, if Klaus believes that she is safe then she would have to put her faith in that. Caroline slowly stood from her spot on the floor and turned the doorknob, wanting to be as far away from that window as possible.

She stepped out into the dark hospital hallway. Caroline had never been to this floor before. Mystic Falls did not have a big psych ward but there was a small hallway in their intensive care unit that was section off for those who needed to be committed for a short time. If there was a longer need, patients were usually sent off to a hospital or facility in Richmond. It was rare for Mystic Falls to have someone loose it completely, but it has happened. At that moment, Caroline knew that only herself and Father Saltzman were the only patients in that wing currently.

She looked down the hallway and saw what appeared to be a nurse’s station but the chair behind the desk was empty. She walked a few feet to see if she could find anyone, but Caroline appeared to be completely alone. However, she felt the air drop a few decrees and when she let out a breath, she could see it hanging in the air. She turned around, almost expected to find Klaus standing there, but was disappointed. The hallway was empty; at least until something moved in the shadows.

A massive creature stood hunched back at the end of the hall, the dimmed fluorescent flight only showed it’s outline but Caroline could see that it had bones for hands and crooked legs as though its bones had been broken. Its head appeared almost skeletal and bald, tiling to the side to gaze at her. After a split second, the creature sprouted wings that held no flesh to them, made completely of bone, from its back. Caroline let out a terrifying cry and stumbled backwards, being caught by a pair of arms that stood her upright.

“Don’t worry. He is one of mine.” Rebekah cooed into her ear and Caroline’s gaze turned upward. Rebekah was smiling down on Caroline, but it wasn’t happy nor comforting. While her brothers could mask themselves to appear human, there was something completely demonic about Rebekah. She was far too beautiful and far to enchanting to be real. Her eyes were so blue that even in the darkness, Caroline could get lost in them. Her long blonde hair hung around her waist, causing Caroline to want to run her fingers through the locks. She wore a tight black dress and heels that made her tower over Caroline.

“What?”

“Marcel is an old soul I collected a very long time ago.” Rebekah replied, pushing a stray hair behind Caroline’s ear, the tips of her fingers leaving a small tingle on her skin. Caroline sucked in a breath, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her, to mold herself into her. There was a primal need to touch her, kiss her and just _be with her._ “He is forever loyal to me and will not hurt you unless I command it.”

“I don’t-“Rebekah gripped Caroline’s shoulders and pushed her back against wall, blocking Caroline in with her arms. Caroline sucked in a breath, her eyes traveling from Rebekah’s eyes to her lips. That beautiful smile graced Rebekah’s perfectly rosy lips and the demon leaned in, taking Caroline’s lips with her.

The kiss felt like fire, an all-consuming fire that was just not hot enough. Caroline need more. She needed to press herself into Rebekah. Nothing was more important than molding herself into the arms of this goddess. She ignored the burning of the mark on her shoulder and the searing pain she felt in her chest. It did not matter. All that mattered was getting closer to Rebekah.

_REBEKAH!_

Klaus’s furious voice echoed through the hallway and Rebekah pulled from the embrace. Caroline whimpered at the loss, at first being devastated at the break in connection; until she gazed at Rebekah’s face. Gone was the striking and perfect face, replaced by a rotting corpse with a slacked jaw and wide deformed eyes. Caroline let out a shriek and blinked her eyes shut for a second, only to open them a second later to see Rebekah’s devastatingly beautiful face gazing down at her.

“Hush Nik. I only took a little.” Rebekah replied to the darkness, reaching down to grip Caroline’s wrists. She pinned her wrists above Caroline’s head and pressed her body fully against her. She could feel every ounce of Rebekah’s body through the flimsy and unflattering hospital gown Caroline was wearing. She did not know if she was terrified, remembering the disfigured face she just saw, or aroused by the impossibly gorgeous woman pressed up against her. “And I must say that her essence is delicious.”

_Let her go Rebekah or I’ll have Elijah lock you in the Abattoir with Kol for at least a century._

“Now that’s just mean. I’d starve.” Rebekah let Caroline go, nearly dropping her to the floor. Caroline caught her breath, looking around for Klaus but could not find him. She gazed up at Rebekah and realized that it wasn’t food that this demon would be starving from. “Now bugger off Nik and finish bargaining with daddy dearest. I bet negations are riveting.”

_Bargaining with……the devil?_

“He is meeting with his father? Why?” Caroline asked Rebekah and the demon turned to gaze at Caroline, as though she was really seeing her for the first time. There were no tricks or seduction but just genuine curiosity. She remembered the first moment she had met Rebekah, that terrifying night at her house when she spoke to her mother for the first, and last time. “What is be bargaining for?”

“A loop hole. A demon’s word is iron clad, no way out for either party.” Rebekah replied, she reached out and touched Caroline’s face. “Now, I’m your guard for the night so go back to bed and Nik will be there to greet you when you wake up.” Rebekah cocked her head with an evil grin on her lips that made Caroline feel as though something horrible was about to happen. “Unless you want to see a show.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Let’s just say that Nik wants someone punished and I’m perfect the job.” Rebekah turned on her heels, gliding in an inhuman way down the darkened hallway. Caroline waged a silent war with herself, debating on whether or not she should go back to her room and close the blinds or follow Rebekah down the hall. She knew that she should go to bed but the idea of following the demon who was meant to protect her felt like the best option.

Caroline ran down the hallway, her bare feet slapping against the linoleum floor. The lights flickered overhead, a soft buzzing sound echoing down the otherwise silent hospital. Rebekah turned a corner and for a moment vanished out of sight. Caroline sped up to catch up with her knowing that Rebekah was moving at a pace that kept Caroline at a distance but slow enough that she could follow.

She paused at the end of the hallway, turning to look over her shoulder; startling. Marcel was gazing at her with a wide smile, his bonelike wings folded back into his flesh. He lifted his skeletal hand and gave her a slight wave; his head cocking in an inhumanly way. Fear coursed through her, even though she knew the creature posed her no threat. Unable to take her eyes off of him, she slowly back down the hallway in the direction Rebekah had gone. Marcel tilted his head to the side as though he heard something and moved to crawl up the wall, out of sight.

Caroline, with a pounding heart, turned and searched each room until she found Rebekah. Third door down and to the left, Caroline saw Rebekah leaning against the doorway of hospital room, the handle broken off completely; something no human would have been capable of. Caroline peeked around Rebekah’s shoulder to see a terrified man curled up on the bed, his knees pressed to his chest.

Father Saltzman.

“Demon. Demon. Demon. Get away from me demon!” The priest’s voice was hoarse and terrified. Not once did he look at Caroline, completely focused on Rebekah; something she could not fault him for. There was something about Rebekah that commanded attention; a goddess the world should bow down before. Father Saltzman pulled his arms up and formed what Caroline thought was meant to be a cross. “I adjure thee, most evil spirit, by Almighty God.”

“An exorcism. How cute.” Rebekah chuckled and unlike her brothers’ laughter, the melody that slipped past her lips invited Caroline in. Once again, she felt that urge to reach out and touch her; the desire almost distracting her from the fact that Father Saltzman dropped his arms and his eyes going glassy. Rebekah pushed off the doorway and sauntered towards the priest. The sway of her hips was inviting, and Caroline felt a sense of jealousy course through her as Rebekah approached the man. “I’ve had someone so pure before. It will be a first for both of us.”

“Are you an angel?”

“Far from it.” Rebekah whispered, leaning down to kiss him on the lips. Caroline watched as Rebekah took control of the kiss, not giving the man an ounce of power. She pushed him down upon the bed and crawled on top of him; straddling his hips. Rebekah tore apart his shirt, leaving his chest bare. Her nails scrapped down his chest, causing it to bleed and for blood to mare his pale skin. “Do you desire me?”

“Yes. God yes.” He whimpered as Rebekah grinded down upon him, causing Caroline to feel uncomfortable at what she was witnessing. However, she could not take her eyes off of them. This was nothing like porn or regular sex, there was something dark and wrong about it; something demonic. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

“Good.” Rebekah lifted herself up onto her knees and pulled down the priests’ scrub pants. Caroline had to look away from the fact that a man that she never wanted to see naked was now exposed. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rebekah lower herself onto him and begin rocking back and forth. “Shame you’ve never done this before. It is quite _sinful._ ”

Father Saltzman said nothing, instead he just stared up at Rebekah with wide and terrified eyes. Rebekah continued to take was she wanted from him, the sounds of the hospital bed creaking below their wait. Rebekah was moaning and gasping, as though the priest was bringing her to ecstasy but there was something wrong with Rebekah’s pleasure.

Father Saltzman’s skin was growing paler and paler, his breathing slowing into shallow gasps while Rebekah’s grew rosier and more robust. Her hair grew blonder and when she tilted her head, Caroline cried out in terror. That decomposed face appeared, and the smell of death and sulfur stunk up the air. Rebekah reached out and gripped her prey’s neck, squeezing it. She bucked her hips forward, leaning down and taking his lips with her dead ones. Father Saltzman went completely grey, gave a twitch before going limp. Rebekah cried out, as she pushed his body down and flung her head back, blonde hair flying, and her face returned to his beautiful creation.

Once she came down from her climax, Rebekah crawled off the now dead body of Father Saltzman while Caroline stood still, trying to process what she just witnessed. Rebekah gazed at her with a lewd smile, proud of her handy work. She reached up and touched her mouth in order to wipe away some of Father’s Saltzman’s saliva from her lips. Caroline felt as though she was being tested to see how strong of a stomach she had. Her eyes turned to look at the dead body that laid on the bed. While she had seen far worse, Stephen’s body came to mind, this was not an easy thing to take in.

He was pale and his eyes wide with terror. The shirt he had been wearing was torn to shreds and claw marks down his chest. His sandy brown hair was disheveled, and his pants were down far enough that his flaccid member was hanging out. Caroline gazed at him, knowing that the sight of his mangled body would haunt her, and she felt sorry for the poor nurse that would discover him.

“I think it is time for you to go back to bed.” Rebekah told her in a resolute tone. Rebekah reached out to touch Caroline’s face and despite what she had just seen, Caroline could not help but lean into the touch. Rebekah’s face shifted and changed from the rotted one and back to her more beautiful one. “Perhaps I will grow to enjoy your company for eternity. That is if you ever complete my brother’s mark. I do find you much more tolerable than Sage.”

“Thank you. I think.”

“Marcel. Make sure Caroline gets back to her room safely.” Caroline heard the rustle of something behind her and slowly turned around. She nearly screamed when that nightmare creature named Marcel was behind her. Seeing him up close was far more terrifying than from a distance. His face had pale white skin that was plastered to his bones. His eyes were nothing more than blank sockets and his clothing appeared to be a dark black suit with a long coat that covered his knees. He was impossibly tall and when he held out his hand, Caroline could see that his fingers were so thin, they looked skeletal.

Unknowing what else to do, Caroline slipped her hand into his, feeling the bones beneath her fingers. Her body going cold at his touch and fear seeped deep into her stomach. After seeing Rebekah suck the very soul out of Father Saltzman, Caroline could only imagine what those hands had done to countless others.

As she allowed Marcel to guide her down the hallway, noticing how his feet did not even touch the ground, her mind wander to the now dead priest, just another name on a long list of those who had died for her. While she felt guilty for his death, especially since she didn’t even step forwards to tell Rebekah to stop, it did not weigh on her conscious as the others had. With every day, Caroline found that she felt less and less guilt. She did not know if that was a byproduct of the mark or if she was just getting desensitized to the idea of death all together.

The wing of the hospital was small, and it did not take them long to reach her room. Caroline turned to Marcel, unsure whether or not she should thank him for just flee inside. As though he could read her thoughts, he gave her an unearthly smile that made Caroline unable to speak at all. He let go of her hand and slowly began floating backwards, fluttering his boney fingers in goodbye as he went. Caroline watched him until he was about halfway down the hallway and those terrifying looking wings appeared out of his back again, making him vanish from sight.

Confused and terrified, Caroline walked into her hospital room and closed the door behind her. Before she was able to gather her bearings, she felt herself being pushed up against the hospital door. She turned her head just in time to see the glow of Klaus’s golden eyes. His lips descended upon hers in a furious kiss. Caroline fell against him easily, wrapping her arms around him; loosing herself into the kiss.

Klaus reached down and lifted her off the ground, Caroline wrapping her legs around his waist, pressing herself as close to him as she possibly could. She thrusted her hips forward, grinding herself against Klaus in hopes of finding some form of friction. However, Klaus made no move to undress her or progress the kiss forward; and she knew that he would not until she ignited it herself in order to proceed with the mark.

The kiss slowed down and eventually, Klaus pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. Caroline could see the fear and vulnerability lingering behind those gold irises. A wave of possessiveness flowed through her and she realized what the kiss had been about.

“Seriously?! You’re jealous? Of your _sister!”_

“She kissed you.” Klaus hissed out. “You could not resist. It is part of Rebekah’s gifts. She draws her pray in and they have no choice but to enjoy her as she sucks the life out of them.” He leaned down and kissed her again but this time it was gentler and warmer. Caroline could feel his emotions pouring through the bond. He felt insecure and terrified that he was going to lose her. It made her realize how much the idea of the sacrifice scared him. “I spent years watching you throw yourself into relationships with men who did not deserve you. You’re _mine.”_

The possessiveness should have scared her. If it had been anyone else, Caroline would see the red flag and run in the other direction; but for some reason, with Klaus, it didn’t. Caroline had no desire to run from him or end whatever dance they were doing; even if she should. He was the literal son of Satan and yet, Caroline was beginning to feel as though he was the ‘one’. Perhaps it was insane and maybe it was Klaus’s demonic mark, but Caroline felt more connected to him than she had in her entire relationships with Tyler and Stefan.

“And you’re mine.” Caroline cooed, reaching out to touch his face. Klaus relaxed slightly in her arms, the emotions radiating from her bond showing on his face. The unspoken though was present on his features; wondering if she would ever really complete the bond. It was a choice that Klaus could not force upon her and with every moment she spent with him, the harder it was for her not to want it, just how could one person choose how they spend eternity, especially when death was itching closer and closer.

“I want to be.” He kissed her again, but it was light and pleading. If Caroline deepened the kiss, Klaus would let her take him right there and then, but she didn’t. The idea of completing the mark in a hospital room in nothing more than an unflattering hospital gown seemed wrong. Then the memory of Father Saltzman’s body laying down the hall mutilated and waiting to be found.

“I know.” She whispered against his lips and rested her head against his chest. Klaus wrapped his arms around her, rocking her back and forth. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and Caroline just let herself forget about the nightmare creatures roaming out in the darkness. Klaus was here and she knew Rebekah was lingering somewhere nearby. Caroline just wanted to let herself not be afraid for one moment before the world came crashing back to her. “You were meeting with your father tonight. It was why you sent Rebekah to be with me.”

“Yes.”

“What were you discussing?”

“You.”

“You were having a conversation about me with Satan?” Caroline asked, slightly worried that the king of all hell knew about her existence. She supposed that since Klaus had feelings for her for a very long time, his father would have known about her for a long while but for some reason, that did not make Caroline feel any better. “Can you throw in more context here?”

“It’s a surprise.” Klaus replied, giving her a mischievous look and Caroline realized that just maybe the conversations he was conducting in the underworld did not have to do with the sacrifice. Caroline knew from Rebekah’s own words that Klaus was looking for some kind of loophole. “Now don’t pout. If I can pull it off, you will like it but like I said, I hope I have decades before you join me. I want you to have full life.”

“Thank you.” She leaned up and kissed his nose. He smiled down at her and Caroline felt an emotion that she could place flow through her. Whatever she was feeling, she knew that it did not belong to her, but it was something so deep she could not express with words. Tears sprung to her eyes and all she could do was mold herself into his arms, hoping that he knew just how much she cared.

“Go back to sleep. Rest.” Klaus pulled away from her and led her back to the bed. Scowling at the hospital bed, Caroline climbed into it with a pout. Klaus chuckled and sat down beside her. He looked at the restraints on bars and something passed through his head. His grin grew filthy and Caroline couldn’t help but feel herself go flush, memories of what his tongue could do made her heart speed up. “That’s not resting Sweetheart, I can hear your heart pounding from here.”

“Yeah, well. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“I adore the fact that you think I’m alone in said gutter.” Klaus teased her and Caroline only could roll her eyes. She laid back against the bed and sighed in annoyance. She was not pleased at still being in the hospital, and even less pleased that she would have at least two days before she could go home. Memories of flames and hooded figures entered her mind and she realized that she no longer had a home. “We will figure it out, Sweetheart. Trust me. Once this mess is over, you will have everything you could ever want.”

“Is that a deal?”

“I already told you that I won’t make a deal with you.” Klaus replied in a low tone. He knew Caroline was joking, or at least trying to, but he did not like the mere thought of Caroline selling her soul. Being marked in the way that Klaus had done to her was something so intimate that he itched to complete it but selling one’s soul was barbaric and torturous. Klaus wanted Caroline; but he wanted her soul intact. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, causing Caroline to feel the world go hazy again. “Go back to sleep. We’ll figure everything out. I promise.”

The world grew hazy and dark; Klaus’s outline fading into darkness as sleep overtook her. Her body felt warm and limp, yet cool air weaved over her like an ice bath. The stale overclean smell of the hospital faded and replaced with nothing but overly sweet flowers. When Caroline opened her eyes, she knew that she was no longer on earth.

_Above her was a clear blue sky with perfect clouds floating overhead. She stood on a stone path surrounded by beautiful flowers and a perfect ray of sun. Yet, Caroline had never felt so cold. Gone were the fancy dresses she wore when she was with Klaus. Instead she still wore her tattered hospital gown, bare feet and messy hair. Her feet felt cold as she walked along the stone pathway, weaving through the flowers._

_Everything looked perfect. The flowers bloomed, the sun shined, and she could hear the distant sound of birds chirping away. Distant voices reached her ears as she walked but Caroline knew that she wouldn’t meet a single soul as she walked along the stone path. However, Caroline could see the stone statues that lingered in the garden. She swore that their eyes moved with every step she took. There were dozens upon dozens of statues and Caroline were frozen in time. Each and every single one having been a human at one point; a living soul having promised themselves too another._

_Panic swelled up inside Caroline’s chest, realizing that she was not in Klaus’s domain. Her subconscious sucked into someplace else; the place that she least wanted to be. She ran, knowing that she had nowhere to run to. Further and further she pushed herself through the garden, looking over her shoulder and she pushed onward. Then always just behind her but out of reach was the one thing that terrified her the most._

_Mikael._

_He looked as he had in Klaus’s memory; dark blonde hair and menacing grey eyes that felt as though Caroline’s soul was being torn in two. The mark on her shoulder burned as though it was freshly branded and the weight in her chest felt heavy. Mikael’s eyes glared at her as she continued run, strolling behind her as though everything was perfect; toying with her in a way she knew eternity waited for her._

_“Come little girl. Only time will tell.” Mikael taunted after her, but Caroline did not stop. She turned down a path, finding only more statues and flowers. “I did a chase like this once. A very long time ago. I let her run for at least a millennium before I caught her.” Further and further Caroline ran but he never stopped being just behind her. “I hope your time with the bastard was worth it, because that will come to an end.”_

_Caroline realized that this was just a preview; a glimpse of what Mikael would do to her once she reached his domain. An eternal chase that she would destine to lose. Memories of what Mikael had done to Esther and she never had never felt such fear echo through her at the thought of Mikael’s violation. She glanced over her shoulder again, seeing Mikael walking calmly behind her and then hit something hard in front of her. Caroline went tumbling to the ground, landing on her backside against the stone pathway. She scrambled to her feet and turning to look at what she had collided with._

_Before her stood a tall statue of a beautiful woman. At first, she had thought it was Esther. She had thought that Mikael lured her to the spot he had forever turned the mother of his children into stone. The blue eyes of the woman followed her as she shifted on her feet and she realized that the woman she was looking at was not Esther at all._

_It was herself._

_“Take a look little girl.” Mikael whispered in her ear, standing directly behind her. He gripped her shoulders, pressing his thumb into the mark on her shoulder; the searing pain echoing through her body. “Aren’t you beautiful, forever immortalized into stone. You’ll be here, forever with those who disobey me. Maybe, one day if I’m generous, I’ll deliver your stone head to the bastard.”_

_Mikael dug his thumb deeper and deeper into her shoulder, burning the mark her skin. Caroline could not help but let out a starling scream, the pain was so immense that her body felt as though she was on fire. The screaming continued and slowly, Caroline realized that it was not her screams she was hearing._

Caroline woke with a start, finding herself back in the hospital. The first thing she realized was that her arms and feet were bound to the bed again. Not a single tear could be found in the bindings and the IV poking out of her hand. She was confused as to how she ended in the same position she had been the following day, as though the events of the night previously had not happened. For a moment, she thought she had dreamed everything but the blood curtailing scream coming for the hallway told her otherwise.

“Oh my god! His body! Oh my god! Someone help!” A woman screamed in the hallway and a dozen feet raced past her room. The sky was still dark, but she could see the hint of sunrise through the window. Caroline realized she had not been back asleep long. Everything that had happened last night was real because the fresh screams of terror in the hallway told her so.

The body of Father Saltzman had been found mutilated in his hospital bed.


	17. In the Ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR
> 
> see end for A/N for info

“And you don’t remember hearing anything at all?” Dr. Maxfield asked, concern etching on his features. He looked pale and drained; dark bags hanging under his eyes. The past twenty-four hours had been hectic. The body of Father Saltzman had been found dead and mutilated in his hospital bed. Only Caroline, a night nurse and a janitor had been on that floor all evening. Yet, video footage from the security camera showed no one entering or leaving his room at all.

“No. I slept through the night.” Caroline told her therapist, sitting cross legged on the bed. She was no longer bound to the bed and had changed into a pair of black leggings and a large, warm blush sweater that Elena had bought for her. Caroline was being released from the hospital a day early due to the death of Father Saltzman. However, before he allowed Caroline to be in Elena’s custody, he wanted one last conversation. “Whatever you gave me knocked me out cold. I don’t remember anything before hearing that nurse scream. Beside even if I did hear anything, you had me bound to the bed. It wasn’t like I was getting out of those.”

“That was a precaution.” Dr. Maxfield replied in a bored tone, knowing full well that Caroline was going to be angry about that for some time. However, neither Caroline nor Dr. Maxfield felt like arguing. If anything, they were both exhausted from the events of the day. “And it is good that you got some sleep and lucky that whomever killed Father Saltzman did not come in here. Between Matthew and April Donavan’s murders, it does not take a genius to figure out that they are connected.”

“Yeah. I suppose you’re right. Did the video surveillance see anything?” Caroline asked, unsure if the doctor would have an answer. Her mind traveled to Rebekah and the nightmarish creature she called Marcel. She thought on how she clearly would be on those cameras. She supposed they saw nothing or Dr. Maxfield, let alone the police, would not allow her to walk out that door.

“No, the feed goes blank apparently for a good hour, in between the times the nurse checked on the two of you. Whoever is doing this, they know how to go undetected.” He shook his head and gave a concerned look. “When I got the call that a body had been found dead in the hospital wing, I thought it was you at first. I know you’re mad at me Caroline. I get it. But I do care about you. You’ve been my patient for a long time. I honestly want to see you succeed and not need my help.”

“Yeah. I know but it doesn’t make it any easier.” Caroline whispered, thinking on exactly how Father Saltzman had died, and that they were in some way, connected. Caroline has spent the whole morning telling lie after lie on whether or not she had heard anything. There was documented proof that Dr. Maxfield had given Caroline sleeping medication, so she claimed of being sound asleep and not hearing a single thing was possible. The concept of her being asleep was far more plausible to the outside world than if she would have confessed the truth; that Rebekah, a demon, had sucked out his soul while in the midst of sex. If she spoke the truth Caroline would find herself locked in the hospital for far longer fan a forty-eight hours. “I can go then?”

“Against my wishes, yes. I would much rather you stay for another day and take the time to deal with your emotions, but the hospital wants to look into the death of Father Saltzman. They requested that all non-life-threatening patience be let go.” Dr. Maxfield muttered darkly and Caroline knew exactly what had happened; he had been overruled. “But I still want you to come and see me, once a week. Okay? Get yourself sorted and I will see you next week. Plus, the police do not want you leaving town until they figure out what happened with your house.”

“No offense Dr. Maxfield but don’t you think that there are bigger things to worry about than me? I mean, someone is killing people. Little old me doesn’t seem that important anymore. Especially, since I didn’t burn down my own house.” Caroline whispered, hoping that she could distract the therapist from her sent and get him to let her alone. She honestly did not have time to discuss her life with him.

“I failed one patient this week Caroline. I refuse to fail another.” He replied, standing from this chair. He reached over and touched Caroline’s shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. She studied him for a moment and realized just how hard he was taking Father Saltzman’s death. She did not know if he was Father Saltzman’s therapist for a long time or if he was taking his case once he was admitted.

Caroline did not care to know the answer, but she could not help but admit that she felt bad for Dr. Maxfield. She gave him a light smile, almost wishing she could tell him everything and make him believe her, but she knew that he wouldn’t. He would do his job and that meant keeping Caroline in the hospital longer.

Dr. Maxfield left the room and Caroline hopped off the bed quickly, moving around to gather the few items Elena had dropped off that morning. They did not have long to chat because police were in and out, asking her questions about Father Saltzman and then Dr. Maxfield wanted a few words with her about discharge. She knew Elena was waiting in the lounge area, probably drinking a bad cup of coffee and biting her nails due to being on edge. Caroline all but bolted out of the hospital room, speed walking down the hall towards the waiting area and as she predicted, her best friend was leaning down in an uncomfortable chair looking half asleep.

“Elena!” Caroline called and the other woman startled slightly. She looked pale and green as though she was about to lose the contents of her stomach. Caroline looked down at her friend in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Drank a bit too much wine last night.” Elena muttered and for a moment, Caroline wanted to ask her if perhaps she should lay off the wine for a while. Yet, Caroline did not say anything. Life was hard for both of them at the moment and Caroline needed Elena; the last thing she wanted to do was push the one person who she trusted away. “Are you ready to go? Got everything?”

“Yes. Thank you again for picking up some clothes for me.” Caroline replied sincerely. The only clothes she owned were the ones she had when she was brought into the hospital the previous day and according to the nurses, they smelled completely of smoke. Elena had taken it upon herself to go out and pick up a few items for Caroline to use. She would need more but she was grateful for the few items she did have. “If you can drop me off at the one motel in town, I can stay there. I can figure out what I’m going to do after that and-”

“Caroline. Stop. Damon is already cleaning out one of the spare rooms. Fresh sheets and everything. You’re staying with us until you’re back on your feet.” Elena replied, holding up her hand and Caroline wanted to argue. If she was not being stalked by cult members and a demon out there waiting to consume her soul, perhaps she would have been relieved by the idea. However, the last thing she wanted was to put her friend and her husband in the line of fire. Caroline knew what these people were capable of and she did not want to find her best friend’s body simply because she got in the way.

“Elena-“

“No arguments.” Elena crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Take the time. Save the money okay? Once you are able to find a job and the last bit of money you have saved up, we can use as a down payment or something. Job, house, build your life again. You like lists. So, start making them!”

“What about Stefan? I really don’t want to be around him right now.”

“Damon already told him that he needs to stay away for a bit. From what Damon said, Stefan picked up a few extra shifts at the hospital, so he won’t be around much.” Elena replied and Caroline froze. She had forgotten that Stefan worked at the hospital she was in. “Look, I think Stefan is finally getting it through his head that you don’t want to be with him. He worked in the ER last night and didn’t sneak away to see you. That’s progress.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Caroline muttered, scowling at the thought of her ex-boyfriend. She had genuinely forgotten that Stefan was completing his residency and that she could potentially run into him. With everything that was going on in her life, she supposed that it was natural that her mind wouldn’t be focusing on the least pressing matter of her ex’s inability to get over her. “I’ll stay for a few days until I can figure out the job and housing situation.”

_And until I can find a good grave digger to prepare my plot._ Caroline thought bitterly in her mind. A wave of anger hit her followed by a deep sense of mourning. Caroline could feel him within her, as though he was standing right beside her. She almost reached out for his hand, hoping to grasp it but she found that it was only Elena walking beside her. It baffled Caroline how much Klaus wanted her to live. It would be so much easier if she died and then he could have her for eternity. She still bore his mark and it would be enough for her to enter his domain and not Mikael’s; yet he wanted her to have a full life first. It amazed her how selfless a demon could be.

_I’m not selfless, Caroline. Far from it, but for you, I’d do anything. I’d burn the entire world to the ground to keep you safe. I’d do anything you ask of me, except let you die._

“Caroline?” Elena’s voice pulled Caroline from her musing and she found that they were standing by Elena’s SUV. She shook her head, trying to push the emotions that were bubbling at the surface; emotions that were not Klaus’s. She climbed into the passenger seat and lead back against the cool leather. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Caroline muttered and the way Elena was staring at her, made her realize that she did not believe a word she said. “It’s just hitting me that my house is gone. Everything I own. My childhood memories. Everything. Up in flames.”

“Not everything.” Elena replied and Caroline looked at her. “So, this morning before I went and bought you some clothes and came to the hospital, Damon and I went by the house. I was hoping to find something, _anything_ of yours that could be salvaged. The house is gone. Yes. However, it didn’t get all the way to the basement. With a ladder, Damon was able to get down there and well, a few of your aunt’s trunks and boxes were untouched. We brought them to the Boarding House, in hopes that maybe there is something there you can keep.”

Tears fluttered in Caroline’s eyes. The concept that there was _something_ of Aunt Cami’s that was still around caused tears to fall down her cheeks. Those trunks and boxes held odds and ends, books and her degrees but nothing of real significance. Yet, it was better than nothing. It was some connection to the family she had lost. She leaned back into the seat and pressed her hands to her face. Tears were flowing freely and all the pain, fear and exhaustion she had been feeling was slipping through her carefully constructed wall she built around her since the madness started.

Elena reached out and squeezed her best friend’s leg, providing some comfort. Caroline knew that Elena was trying her best to be a good friend, even though she was having her own problems, both with Damon and the trauma of finding Matt and April’s body. Caroline suddenly felt selfish for not giving her friend what she needed in that moment. She had been so focused on her own suffering that she had neglected Elena, and that just added to the massive amounts of emotion that was flooding out of her.

“Shh. It’s okay. We will figure this out. I promise.” Elena soothed, using the nurturing voice typically reserved for her students. Caroline lowered her hands to her lap and turned to look at Elena. Her friend’s face was worried and terrified but there was a deep affection on her face that made Caroline feel a warmth of for her. “We will get through this.”

“Thank you. For everything.” Caroline whispered, realizing that if she were to die within the next few days, she would miss Elena the most. Whether she was tortured by Mikael or spent eternity with Klaus, Elena would always linger in the back of her mind, wondering what fate her friend ended up with. Elena was a good person. She would find peace.

Caroline was sure of it.

“What are friends for?” Elena replied, giving her a small smile. Her brown eyes lit up for a moment, as though she just remembered something. She reached across Caroline and opened the glovebox and pulled out a cell phone. “When I picked up some clothes for you, I ran to get you a new phone. Yours was completely destroyed in the fire but a fireman did find it. I took it to the store, and they were able to save some of your stuff and put it on a new phone. I kept your number, but I put you on Damon and I’s plan. Save you a bit of money until you get on your feet.”

“Elena-“

“Don’t. Take the phone and run with it. I paid it off and its yours. You need help right now and let me help you.” Elena was stern and forceful, making Caroline suddenly feel as though she was a misbehaving child and knew not to argue further. She reached out and took the phone from Elena, who smile brightly at her. “Thank you. Now, let’s head back to the house. I think the both of us could use a lazy day and then tomorrow we can go shopping to get you a few more things, maybe do some job searching or house searching.”

“Sounds good.” Caroline nodded and let Elena drive. They drove through town and Caroline watched Mystic Falls pass by her. It was a small town that she had spent the majority of her life in. She always viewed New Orleans as her second home, enjoying how different it was from the town she had grown to love. Yet, she suddenly wondered why she stayed in a place where almost everyone thought she was insane. For a moment after Tyler had cheated on her, Caroline considered moving to New Orleans but didn’t. Cami had made it clear that she did not want her to live there.

Caroline shook herself and wished to pull herself from Cami, knowing how her aunt’s soul was in a never-ending sleep currently. She pulled out her new phone and began scrolling. Elena was able to back up her photos and some of the music she had downloaded. All of her contacts and text messages were there as well. Upon reviewing the messages, she realized that Bonnie had been trying to reach her for the last few days.

_[Bonnie: 10:13 am two days ago] Hey, I’m checking in. Are you okay? I know the summoning was scary and maybe we shouldn’t have done that but just let me know you’re okay. Please._

_[Bonnie: 1:02 pm yesterday] Caroline, are you okay? You’re worrying me._

_[Bonnie: 5:27 pm yesterday] Seriously! Caroline, what is going on. You’re scaring me._

_[Bonnie: 8:12 am] Caroline, I drove by your house to check on you and it is gone. Oh my god. Please. Just tell me your alive._

Guilt coursed through Caroline. While she was uneasy with just about anyone, Bonnie did try her best to help her and since the moment she rushed out of her store, she had not reached out. A small part of her brain told Caroline that Bonnie was just trying to keep her close but then she remembered how terrified Bonnie had been of Caroline at first. She did not know who to trust or what to do in regard to Bonnie, but her guilty conscience had her typing a response.

_[Caroline: 2:45 pm] I’m okay._

_[Bonnie: 2:45 pm] Thank god. I was terrified that they had gotten to you. I thought you were dead._

_[Bonnie: 2:46 pm] What the hell happened to your house?_

_[Caroline: 2:46 pm] They burnt it down._

Caroline clicked her phone onto silent, not wanting to speak with Bonnie anymore, a headache forming at her temples. She pressed her fingers into her head and massaged the slight pain away. She gave a slight groan and saw Elena give her a sideways glance as they pulled into the boarding house roundabout.

“You okay?” Elena asked as she grabbed her bag from the back seat. Caroline went back and forth on how she should answer that question. She climbed out of the car and walked around the SUV to the trunk in order to pull the bags of clothing Elena had purchased. The two women gathered the bags while Caroline bit her lips. “Caroline?”

“It’s nothing. Bonnie had messaged me, and I hadn’t responded.” Caroline shrugged, her mind racing. “It was about my aunt’s stuff and I just had to tell her that unfortunately, the stuff she was looking to buy might not be for sale anymore. I just don’t want to think about my house anymore, but I had to let her know.”

“I get that. Take the afternoon and relax. Damon is cooking.”

“Damon always cooks.”

“Sadly, he is just better at it that me.” Elena chuckled and the two-woman walked into the Boarding House. Caroline scowled at the house in distain. There was something about the imposing house that made her skin crawl. Knowing that Lillian had died, and her death was connected to her, only made that feeling become worse. Knowing that she was going to be sleeping there for the foreseeable future did not help her feel any better. “Come on.”

Elena pushed open the heavy wooden door and revealed the entrance hall. It was just as gaudy and grand as it had been when Caroline was a child. Part of her never understood why Elena did not redecorate the house when she moved in with Damon prior to them getting married. Damon would have let her, and Stefan had moved out, and would not have cared. Caroline had never asked and currently did not feel like getting into that details. The less she thought on Lillian, the happier she would be.

“There you guys are. I almost thought the two of you got lost on your way here.” Damon came down the stairs and around the corner. He leaned forward to kiss Elena lightly and gave Caroline a sympathetic look. The sympathy took Caroline by surprise, for Damon typically liked to give her a hard time. Yet, he actually seemed concerned about her and she did not know how to process that. “You okay Blondie?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” She could see that neither Damon nor Elena believed her. She put on her fake smile and she had been around them both enough to know that they could tell that she was lying to them. She was not in the mood to discuss how she was feeling, nor did she want to think on sacrifices, arson or cult members. She just wanted to take a moment and relax.

_Relax. I’m here._ Klaus’s voice soothed her in the back of her mind, and she felt her shoulders relax. Knowing that he was with her made her feel stronger and as though she could take on anything. Caroline realized that Klaus made her stronger, not just because of the mark but because he made her feel invincible and confidant.

“Right. Well, I cleaned out the third bedroom just up the stairs, the one with its own bathroom for you to use.” Damon replied and Caroline nodded. “I took the few things that we were able to save from your house up to the room already.”

“Thank you, Damon.” Caroline replied, ignoring the scowling feeling she felt in the back of her mind. She remembered Klaus’s words on how he once considered running his car off the road after Damon had made her cry when they had been in a relationship and it almost made her chuckle. “I’m going to go and lay down.”

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.” Elena replied and Caroline nodded, turning around and headed towards the stairs. She gripped the shopping bags and climbed the stairs, feeling as though the walls were watching her. She clung to Klaus’s warm embrace while she made her way towards the room Damon and prepared for her.

The room was big, with hardwood flooring and a massive four-poster bed. There was a rug on the floor that made Caroline wonder who exactly thought it was a good idea to use it because it was hideous. It was beige with maroon looking flowers that reminded Caroline of blood, giving the rug a stained appearance. The comforter was white and plush, telling Caroline that the sheets and bedding was fresh; a wise decision on Elena’s part she was sure. A tall, Victorian looking mirror was in the corner, standing beside a tall dresser that Caroline assumed was empty.

There were boxes pushed up against the wall and Caroline felt her heart sink. One looked flimsy as though smoke had sunk deep into the cardboard, but the rest seemed untouched. When she had packed up Cami’s things, Caroline did not pay too much attention to what was going into those boxes. She tossed the bags on to the bed and walked over to the boxes staring down at them. She debated on whether or not she wanted to go through them now, or later.

_I might not have later._ Caroline thought.

_Stop it, Sweetheart. Please._ Klaus begged her in the back of her mind. His voice was soft and hurt; the thought of her death bothered Klaus and it made her give a sad smile. Strange how the anti-Christ wants her to live her life when she could spend the rest of eternity with him. _I’ve lived for six millennia Caroline. A few decades are nothing in comparison._

“Maybe I’m tired.” Caroline just whispered but Klaus did not answer. If they succeeded and won, the coven would still exist. Mikael was a demon and at the end of the day, he would still be alive. If she marked Klaus and upon her death became his consort, Mikael would always linger in his domain. “Can demons be killed? Like, is there an afterlife after the afterlife?”

“No. There is nothing after the afterlife.” Klaus’s voice sounded from behind her and Caroline whipped around. Her gaze focused on the mirror, seeing Klaus standing in it. He gripped the sides of the frame and slowly stepped out of it as though it was a doorway into another room. “And demons can be killed but the older and stronger the demon, the harder it is.”

“So Mikael-“

“Is one of the first. He followed my father when he fell from Heaven. I believe my father once said that they had been friends a long time ago; but Mikael has a tendency to believe his own self-importance. He wanted to rule Hell and when it became apparent that was not going to happen, he created his own domain. The garden.” Klaus reached for Caroline, pulling her into an embrace. “Killing Mikael is something only either my father or God can do, and seeing that my father and grandfather are not on speaking terms...”

“I just realized that God is your grandfather.” Caroline muttered, her mind trying to process that information, while Klaus simply chuckled. She buried her face into his chest, trying to process the chaos that has become her life. “So, God is not going to help us out and I can’t believe that was even an option.”

“It’s not but continue.”

“What about your dad? Couldn’t he just be like, Satan and snap his hooves or something?” Caroline asked, causing Klaus to chuckle harder. She felt his chest rumble at her humor. It was insane to her that she had feelings for the man who called the literal devil, father. When Caroline had dreamed about the man, she would one day spend her life with, Klaus was nothing like she had dreamed, but so much better. “Can’t he do something?”

“In theory? Yes. But he won’t. I asked.” Klaus replied bitterly, clearly not happy with his father’s response. “He likes you yes and wants me happy but feels that my mark is enough to keep you safe. He is not about to kill a demon simply because I asked him too. Mikael is banished to his domain for the majority of the time. You will be safe. Then, one day when I rule over Hell, Mikael will never be a problem again.”

“You’ll kill him?” Caroline asked in a slight whisper. The concept of killing a demon or even banishing Mikael into oblivion seemed impossible and grand. How could something so massive be defeated so easily? She knew that Klaus was more than meets the eye, especially given who is father was but her life had become such a shit show that the prospect that there was an end in sight, even if it was millennia down the line, made her feel something warmth.

“I don’t know. Maybe. At least close the loophole that allows him to rise every few decades.” Klaus replied, getting a faraway look on his face. Caroline could see that his thoughts were drifting away from him and she did not know what to say about it. She placed a small kiss on the skin where his heart would be before pulling away and heading towards the trunks.

Caroline knelt down in front of them and slowly began opening them. The first was filled with knick-knacks and a few frames with photos in them. Caroline’s insides froze as she thought on that one picture she had cherished; the one with her aunt Cami, her mother and their two friends. It had been in that house and clearly had burned. A new round of tears slipped down her cheeks, staring at the trunk full of random things of Cami made everything hit home.

“Caroline?”

She turned to see Klaus staring at her with worried eyes. It took her a moment to realize that he was feeling the despair that was radiating from her. He knelt down beside her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She touched the trunks, running her fingers over the wood and shook her head.

“I’m tired of this. I’m tired of demons and scarifies and everything that is just supernatural.” Caroline replied. “I wish that you could be a normal man and I not the daughter of crazy cult members. Although, then you probably wouldn’t have even noticed me.”

“Sweetheart, it would be impossible not to notice you.” Caroline snorted and Klaus leaned forward to kiss the top of her head. She leaned back against him and Klaus wrapped her arms around her. “I spent millenniums alone in my domain, only having my siblings and the lost souls I reaped. Finding you, even though you are a mortal girl, with a questionable family...” Caroline snorted again, tears still burning in her eyes. “I want eternity with you and for you live a long happy life. Mikael is a minor problem that we will solve it. I promise.”

“Okay. But he doesn’t feel like a minor problem to me.”

“Now, tell me what is in these trunks?” Klaus asked, looking over her shoulder at the trunk. Caroline traced the latch and slowly opened the trunk. Instead, Caroline was unsurprised to find books, something Cami had several of. There were several books of psychology and some random novels that the spines told Caroline they were not even read. Mixed in Caroline could find some wiccan books that Caroline wondered how she missed them when she would visit her aunt in New Orleans. Granted she knew that Cami most likely pulled them from the shelves by the time Caroline got there.

“Books mostly. I think all Cami did was read whenever she had down time.” Caroline muttered, glaring at the trunk. “It makes me sad that this is all that is left of Cami. A pile of books and nothing else. Is this all that will be left of me when I die?” Klaus opened his mouth, but she glared at him. “Whether it be soon or in a few decades, will a pile of books be all that is left of me? Left of the O’Connell legacy?”

“Caroline Elizabeth Forbes, you are so much more than just a member of the O’Connell family. I did not know your aunt well, but I can tell you that you are more fascinating and entertaining than she ever was.”

“Says the man who has been in love with me forever. Biased much.” Caroline shook her head causing Klaus’s lips to turn upward at the comment. It was true that he never said the words, but she could feel him through the bond. She knew what she was feeling when he used the bond; and in truth Caroline could not help but feel a butterfly form in her stomach when she looked at Klaus.

Anti-Christ notwithstanding.

“Perhaps I am but it does not make it any less true.” Klaus whispered lightly, his eyes darkening with something between love and desire. He leaned forwards and kissed the top of her head. “Come on, don’t look at the books or anything else in these trunks. I can feel how sad it makes you.”

Klaus stood and held out his hand. Caroline gripped it and Klaus pulled her to her feet. Caroline climbed on the bed and laid down. Klaus laid down next to her and she rested her head against his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of his heart; in the back of her mind Caroline wondered how he even had a heartbeat. Klaus reached up and began running his fingers through her blonde curls. The feeling his fingers were causing lured Caroline to sleep and she felt her body rest for the first time in days.

_Caroline found herself lingering in that old house just outside the border of Hell. The heat hit her, and she smiled. This was no garden or small town to keep her distracted. She could hear the screams of the damned echoing in the distance. Perhaps it was wrong, but she found the tortured sounds of their voices comforting. It almost felt like home._

_She pulled herself from the loveseat that she had been stretched out on. The silk of her black dress fell around her body like cool lotion cascading her body. She raised her arms above her head to stretch. The room got warmer and the hair on her body stood up. The gas lamps on the walls flickered, casting shadows in the corners; but not the kind of shadows she was used to. There was nothing malicious in them and they almost seemed welcoming._

_“What is it with you and putting me in silk dresses?” Caroline asked to the darkness, basking in the chuckle that made her feels loved. She turned on the love seat to see Klaus leaning against the archway into what she assumed was a living area. He was dressed in jeans and a Henley with a silver chain hanging around his neck. “And why do you get to be all casual?”_

_“Because you look beautiful in them and this is a dream. One that I control. And I know how much you enjoy a fancy dress.” Klaus replied with a chuckle and walked over to the sofa and held his hand. Caroline slipped hers into his and he pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head against his heart. He spun her around, her bare feet touching the hard wood floor were hot against her skin. He spun her around and Caroline’s laugh echoed in the air. “And maybe I want you to enjoy this place. My home.”_

_“What does it say about me that I find Hell charming?”_

_“It says you have good taste.” Klaus leaned down and kissed her, their lips molding together it a furious battle. It was a dream, but Caroline could feel everything that Klaus poured into that kiss. She could feel the tingle in the back of her mind where she knew Klaus was controlling her dream._

_“When this becomes my home-“_

_“In about six decades.”_

_“In six decades.” Caroline humored him and tried to keep the doubt out of her mind, knowing that Klaus could feel it. “Will you still be in my head like this? Controlling my dreams? I like it now because I know you’re trying to distract me but forever seems a bit unhealthy.”_

_“Sweetheart, I hope that when you come to me at the end of your life that the mark will be completed.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “The mark will allow you to share the powers that I have. I can get into your head, but you can get into mine.” Klaus spun her around, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. “And I want nothing more.”_

_“Klaus?” Caroline whispered against his lips. Klaus pulled away slightly and gazed at her face with a question in his eye. She reached up and placed her hands on his face, stroking his cheek bones with her thumbs. “I want that too. I want to complete the mark and give in to you. Because I want my eternity to involve you but, what does it say about me that you have my aunt’s soul? And are refusing to let it go.”_

_“Caroline-”_

_“I want you; I want you for eternity but just, please. Think about it?” Caroline looked at him and she could see the fight happening behind his eyes. Klaus never let a soul go that was in his domain. Cami offered herself up to him willingly and it was something that Caroline was slowly coming to terms with. She knew that if she spent an eternity with him, maybe she could eventually break him down. One day, maybe her aunt would find peace. “Because I want to complete the mark. I want to have your essence on my very soul.”_

_It was like a crack as Klaus pulled Caroline to him. His lips descended upon hers and even though it was a dream, she could feel every inch of his body pressed against hers. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as his fingers slowly traced a line down her spine. His kiss made her head spin and Hell melted away. Nothing mattered but feeling of being in his arms. She felt more alive than she had in weeks, even though she knew she was asleep._

_Klaus reached down and hoisted Caroline up, lifting her off the floor. He laid her back down on the sofa, his body covering hers. Klaus pulled his lips from hers and nipped and sucked at her throat. His hand palmed her breast, squeezing and pinching at her nipple that was hard through the black silk dress. Caroline let out a hefty moan as his teeth nipped at her pulse point._

_“Let it out Sweetheart. I want to hear you.” Klaus’s husky voice graced her ears. His hands reached down and slowly gazed his hands up her legs, taking the silk dress with him. His fingers traced her hip and Caroline realized that in this dream, Klaus ensured that she was not wearing panties. If she was not so focused on his hands, she might have teased him about it. “It has been far too long since I’ve heard you moan my name.”_

_“Klaus.” She whispered; her fingers weaved through his curly blonde hair. She could feel the smirk against her skin; pleased by her reactions. “When I said I wanted to complete the mark, I didn’t mean right now. Or in dream.”_

_“Oh, we can’t complete the mark in a dream.” Klaus kissed her lips again, his hand moving between her legs, just missing the spot between her legs that was aching. She whimpered against his lips, arching her back and thrusting her hips upward in hopes that his fingers would grace the part of her that she wanted him to touch. “Oh no, you would need to be awake.”_

_“Please. Touch me, please.”_

_“And conscious.” Klaus’s fingers touched her clit, pressing against her nub causing her to cry out his name. He rested his forehead against hers as he slipped one finger inside her, curling it so he scratched the spot right above her entrance. “You need to come to me. To kiss me. To mark me. To say the words that carves your essence onto my bones.”_

_“The words. Tell me. What are the words?” Caroline asked him as he added a second finger. Klaus began to thrust his fingers in and out of her at a speed that made Caroline forget that this was a dream. “How will I know what to say, when I don’t know the words?”_

_“Mea.” Klaus’s voice grew husky and dark. His lips took hers again, his tongue massaging hers. His fingers moving faster and faster, her legs spreading farther apart from him. She hooked one of her legs around his hip and her nails dug into his shoulders through the Henley. “I’ll need you to say the words after me. So, say it again. Mea. Ego autem mark. Scelero onto vestry me ossa. Anima mea sicut et ego dici. Non te deserant circumda. Et ponere mei conferri pestem vestry cutis marcam. Meus es tu. Pertinent es ad me. Caroline, signum est indelebilis onto vestry meam. Aeternum. Say the words Caroline.”_

_“Mea.”_

_“Ego autem mark.”_

_“Ego autem mark.”_

_“Scelero onto vestry me ossa mea.”_

_“Scelero-“_

_“Caroline.” Elena’s voice sounded in the air and Caroline’s eyes popped open. She gazed up at Klaus who was still hovering above her. He gave her a kiss on her forehead, his fingers slowly their tempo. Caroline could feel herself being pulled from her sleep, but she fought to stay with Klaus, not wanting to leave his arms. “Caroline.”_

_“Go my heart. You’ll know what to say when the time comes.” Klaus whispered to her, but Caroline could still hear Elena calling for her. The world around her grew fuzzy. The edges grew hazy and Klaus’s face became blurry. The heat of Hell fell away and a ringing sounded loud in her ears. Her dream was slipping away, and Caroline realized that she wanted to be nowhere else._

“Caroline.” She felt her shoulders being shook, pulling her from the sleep she craved. Caroline opened her eyes and a fuzzy outline of Elena stood before her. Her friend’s long brown hair hung around her shoulders and a small kind smile playing on her lips. “Hey. I thought about letting you sleep longer but Damon said dinner is ready. If you had ate something today, I would have just let you sleep but knowing you, you didn’t eat at the hospital.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to doze off.” Caroline pulled herself up into a sitting position, the blanket that had been folded neatly at the end of the bed sliding from her body. She gave a small grin, knowing that Klaus would have covered her up before he vanished into the mirror.

“You’re exhausted Caroline. Of course, you fell asleep.” Elena sat down at the end of the bed, taking Caroline’s hand and giving it a squeeze. Elena looked over to see that the trunks Damon had brought up were open. “Find anything interesting?”

“Book. Just books.” Caroline muttered, gazing at the trunks and feeling nothing but distain for them. “Cami’s memory is nothing more than textbooks and the occasional novel. My entire life summoned in the few books that my aunt left me. Nothing else.”

“Hey. Look at me.” Elena asked her, pulling Caroline’s gaze away from the trunk and to focus on her. “It will get better. I promise. I will be here with every step of the way. I will not rest until you’re back up on your feet.” Elena gave her hand a tight squeeze again before standing from the bed. “Now, put your leggings back on and come down to dinner before the inner Italian grandmother that is secretly hiding beneath Damon’s skin comes out to force feed you.”

Caroline snorted and looked down to realize that her leggings were tossed at the end of the bed. If it had been anyone but Elena, she would have been embarrassed but it was obvious that her friend had thought that she kicked them off in her sleep. However, thinking back on her dream and Klaus’s fingers, Caroline knew that he was the one who would have taken the leggings off of her.

“Okay. I’ll be right down. Maybe a glass of wine or two will help me sleep. You look like you could use one too.”

“I always could use a glass of wine.”

Elena smiled and headed towards the door, shutting it behind her as she left. Caroline climbed out of the bed and grabbed the black leggings. As she slid each of her legs into the pants, letting the sweater drop around them, she could feel the temperature drop a few degrees and the smell of sulfur hit her. She looked around the room but did not see him. She glanced toward the mirror and Klaus leaned against the frame from inside the mirror. Caroline smiled and walked up towards the mirror. She outstretched her hand, placing her palm against the glass and feeling the coolness of it against her skin. Klaus did the same, but she could feel his skin when he touched the mirror from his side of it. He curled his fingers in order to hold her hand.

“Soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yes. I've been MIA on this story. I won't go into details but I was having a really rough time a few weeks back and needed to take some time off. I know that I was updating regularly and then stopped. I just needed some time to get my head on straight. 
> 
> But I am back.
> 
> However, I won't be updating as regularly as before. I have chapters 18 and 19 already written. I plan on post 18 on Monday and then 19 at some point in the next two weeks. 
> 
> I am not going to put myself on a schedule because I'm burnt out.  
> I'm writing what feels good and what I can focus on a given time. 
> 
> I really appreciate everyone who has been here for me over the last couple weeks while I get my head on straight.
> 
> Its a work in progress.
> 
> I hope you all have a wonderful New Year.


	18. The Mark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ending for A/N

Typically, it was Caroline who made the lists, planned the days down to the minute and took control of everything in order to make things easier. However, as Caroline gazed at Elena, watching her make a list of everything Caroline would need, she wondered how no one had strangled her yet. Elena put her skills as a kindergarten teacher to use and made what Caroline assumed was some twisted version of a lesson plan.

Elena was bound and determined to have Caroline back on her feet within a few months.

Caroline knew that Elena was just distracting herself. Trying to push the memory of finding Matt and April’s bodies from her mind. She was still on leave from work and focusing all her energy into helping Caroline. However, she could see that Elena was running herself into the ground but neither Caroline nor Damon could make Elena sit still for more than a few minutes. The only thing Caroline could compare Elena’s reaction to everything was when her parents had died. She was just processing her grief and while Caroline did not like feeling like a project, she let Elena drag her all over town in order to put the checkmarks on the list she wrote.

The first place they went was the mall in Richmond in order to get Caroline enough clothes to get her through the next few months. Caroline protested when Elena tried to pay for everything, stating that she had some savings in the bank, but Elena refused to let her, stating that she needed to save her money. Elena stated that Damon was paying for everything and by her tone, Caroline wondered if Elena was still having concerns about Damon’s fidelity.

“Everything okay, Elena? With Damon?” Caroline asked and she watched as Elena’s shoulders went stiff. She rolled her neck and stretched her shoulders before looking at Caroline. The heartbreaking look that was on Elena’s face almost made her want to drive back to Mystic Falls and beat Damon with one of those overly expensive paintings that he owned. “Do I need to cut off his balls?”

“No.” Elena replied, chuckling at the threat Caroline had once made. “He is being great. Really attentive and trying to help me through everything. He didn’t even complain when I told him that you would be staying with us and while he would never refuse to help you because you’re my best friend, he didn’t even make a sarcastic comment or disparaging remark. It feels like he is trying to be on his best behavior and that just makes me more suspicious.”

“Okay.” Caroline paused, collecting her thoughts on the matter. “I can’t believe that I am going to play devil’s advocate here,” Klaus’s chuckle of amusement in her choice of words almost distracted Caroline completely from what she was going to say. “But, do you think that maybe he is being attentive because he wants to make things up to you? Maybe this has nothing to do with him being unfaithful at all?”

“Maybe.” Elena replied in a low voice. Caroline reached out and squeezed her shoulder, offering her friend a tight smile. After a second, Elena shook her head and put the shirt she had been holding back on the rack. “Can you excuse me for a second? I have to use the bathroom. My stomach hurts.”

“Sure.” Caroline watched as Elena moved through the store towards the dressing rooms where they had seen a sign for the restrooms earlier. Caroline turned back to the rack and went through a first tops that she had thought were pretty. As she walked around the rack, a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She lifted her head to look at the front of the store, towards the tall window and froze.

Standing just outside the store, watching her was a hooded figure. Caroline could not see their face for the black hood blocked their face, but Caroline knew that whomever it was, they belonged to the coven that was out for her blood. She felt her insides freeze and she knew that the figure was looking directly at her. The shop’s lights flickered, and she could see the Shadows dancing in the corners; yet no one else seemed to notice.

People passed by the person in the hood as though they were a regular person on the side of the road. Customers milled around the shop, not noticing the flicker of the lights or the inhuman shadows crawling on the walls. Caroline could hear their whispers in her ear, speaking to her like they had done when she was a child. She was used to no one seeing what she had but at least now she knew it was because whomever it was on the other side of the glass practiced a very dark magic.

_Elijah! Find him._

Klaus’s voice hissed in the back of her head and she felt the room grow colder. The lights flickered again, and Caroline saw a very well-dressed Elijah standing directly beside her, almost as though he appeared out of thin air. However, he was not looking at her. Instead, he was glaring at the figure on the street. The person in the cloak turned and stepped out into the middle of the street. A car passed by and when Caroline blinked, both the hooded figure and Elijah were gone. The lights in the shop brightened, the Shadows vanished with their whispers and Caroline felt a spread of warmth flow through her body.

“I hear you burnt down our house.” Caroline’s moment of relief was gone in a second when she recognized that voice. A scowl appeared on her lips as she turned around. Behind her, Hayley was glaring at her with crossed arms. Her brown hair was pulled up on the top of her head and a few stray hairs hung in her face. Her impossible dark eyes held nothing but contempt for Caroline as they glared at her with hatred. “I figured you would do something reckless eventually that would land you in prison, but I didn’t think it would be arson.”

“First, it was _my_ house when Stephen, whose funeral you did not let me attend, signed it over to me after you fucked my boyfriend and fled to Atlanta. Second, I didn’t burn it down. We don’t know what happened yet and third, what the hell are you doing in Virginia?”

“Visiting Tyler’s mother to finish up a few things for the wedding. We were at the bakery down the street when I saw you in here staring off into space. Carol is trying to convince us to have the wedding in Mystic Falls and not Atlanta. Anyway, from what she says, there is an investigation on going and the word on the street is that everyone thinks you set it on fire.” Hayley snapped. “Strange how all these horrible things keep happing in Mystic Falls. Matt and April are murdered. Father Saltzman is murdered in the hospital with you sleeping just down the hall.”

“I had nothing to do with anything of that.”

“Maybe not intentionally, and I’ll be honest, I have not lost any sleep over Father Saltzman. Good riddance to him.” Hayley walked over to Caroline and stood directly in front of her, studying her face. “But I know that whatever killed them, killed my father. Hell, maybe it killed your aunt and maybe it killed your dad.” Caroline felt a swirl of anger bubble in her stomach and could feel the soothing wave of emotion Klaus sent her, hoping to calm her. “I remember everything from when we were kids and I may not understand whatever evil is after you but I know it was real. It wants you and people have died. Their blood is on your hands.”

“Hayley?” Both Hayley and Caroline turned to see Elena walk up to them from the back. Caroline could see how pale her friend was; appearing as though she had gotten sick. “What are you doing here?”

“Wedding stuff. You okay? You look awful.”

“Thanks, and I have a stomach bug.”

“Right.” Hayley studied her for a moment and Caroline could see concern written on her face. Caroline remembered that once upon a time, Hayley and Elena were the best of friends. When Elena’s parents died and Hayley all but dropped Elena because she could not deal with a grieving friend due to showing emotions never being Hayley’s strong suit caused Caroline grew closer with her. Looking at Hayley now, Caroline wondered if there was still a part of her that cared for Elena. “Still hanging around with her I see. I would advise against that. Go home to your husband and forget about Caroline and the black cloud that follows her.”

“Hayley. Just leave. I do not have the energy to fight with you.” Elena slipped out and Caroline could see that Elena really did not have the strength to handle Hayley. A brief look passed between Caroline and Hayley, and on a rare occasion, the pair could agree on a few things. The first had been their dislike of Father Saltzman growing up and now their concern for Elena’s wellbeing appeared to be another.

“Sure, but you should go home. Get some rest.” Hayley replied and turned away from them, heading towards the front of the store.

“Hayley, wait a second.” Caroline called and her stepsister paused, not even turning back to look at her. It was a reach, but Hayley had seen the Shadows when they little, for she had just said as much. “Before you came in here, did you see anything strange? Familiar maybe?” Hayley did not respond but Caroline could see how her shoulders tensed. After a second, Hayley walked towards the door and did not look back at them. Caroline watched as Hayley crossed the street before turning back to Elena. “Let’s go back to the Boarding House. You do not look good.”

“Yeah. My stomach is queasy. Do you mind driving?” Elena asked and Caroline shook her head. Elena handed her the keys and the pair left the shop. Caroline looked over her shoulder, searching for a hooded figure or perhaps even Elijah but she saw nothing. There was an intense worry bubbling in the back of her mind that she knew belonged to Klaus. Whatever had followed them to Richmond, was keeping a close eye on Caroline; and that made her realize just how close they were getting to preparing her for the sacrifice.

As they walked down the sidewalk, Caroline knew that Bonnie’s store was only a few streets over. Part of her wanted to seek out the witch in hopes of finding something in some spell book that would put a stop to everything; but Caroline was not sure she could trust Bonnie. Seeing that it was a coven of witches after her and Bonnie was the only witch Caroline knew, it would not be a reach for Bonnie to be involved, especially since it was her own grandmother that drove a blade through Caroline’s mother’s heart.

When they reached the car, Elena slid into the passenger’s side while Caroline sat in the driver’s seat. Elena rested her head against the cool glass of the window as Caroline drove through the streets. The pair was silent, and it wasn’t until they were about thirty minutes outside of Richmond and on the highway heading towards Mystic Falls that Elena broke the silence.

“Back in the store, you had asked Hayley if she had seen anything strange. What did you mean?” Elena asked in a hoarse voice that made Caroline wonder if she should pull over. However, Elena rolled her head against the back of the seat and Caroline could see a tiny bit of color had returned to her friend’s cheeks.

“Nothing. Just Hayley getting under my skin, that’s all.” Caroline answered her but Elena did not look convinced. Elena just shot Caroline a disbelieving look and she signed. “Hayley just practically said that bad things follow me around. That I’m cursed and I’m starting to think that she is right.”

“You’re not cursed Caroline.” Elena told her, reaching out to give Caroline’s hand a tight squeeze. “Sure, things are super shitty right now for you, but it will get better. Everyone goes through bad patches in life, but you will get on your feet. Do not let Hayley and her bitterness get in the way of you succeeding, okay?” 

“I’ll try.” Caroline muttered, focusing on the road and did not want to look at the worried look she knew Elena was giving her. She did not want to feel anymore guilt about the fact that she was not being fully honest with her best friend, but, how could she? How could she tell Elena about demons, witchcraft and human sacrifices? How could she tell the person she had been closest with for years about the fact that she was in love with the son of Satan?

_In love, Sweetheart?_ Klaus’s voice chimed in the back of her mind, sounding smug and overly pleased. Caroline gripped her hands tighter on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. She swallowed but did not respond to the merriment that Klaus was projecting in her head. The fact that she was ignoring his inquiry only make him chuckle harder to the point that Caroline could feel his joy vibrating through her entire body.

“Caroline?”

“Sorry. I was thinking.” Caroline muttered and shook her head. “It is just that Hayley has always said that something was wrong with me. I get that bad things happen to everyone but to this extent? My mother is murdered. My father dies of cancer, my stepsister sleeps with my boyfriend, another boyfriend won’t leave me alone, my aunt dies, my stepfather is murdered, Matt and April, Father Saltzman and my house burned down? The list goes on.” Elena went to say something but shut her mouth quickly as they pulled into the long drive of the Boarding House. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“No what where you going to say?”

“Just that you missed the fact that you were fired.” Elena reluctantly said and Caroline just narrowed her eyes at her. They both knew it was the wrong thing to say and it should have made Caroline angry at her friend but perhaps it was the happiness she was still feeling from Klaus that was sending her. Caroline just burst out laughing as she put Elena’s car into park. Tears streamed down her face and she could hear Elena chuckling beside her, at least until her friend burst out in annoyance. “Seriously?! I told him to stay away.”

“What?” Caroline looked towards the front of the boarding house and saw that Stefan was sitting on the small brick wall. Any happiness that both Klaus and Caroline had been feeling turned ice cold. Stefan noticed that he had been spotted and reluctantly waved towards them. He was in a pair of jeans and a shirt that was rolled up and showed his forearms. “I thought he was working overtime at the hospital?”

“That’s what I thought.” Elena glared and climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind her. Caroline followed suit and was fully prepared to leave Stefan to Elena, hoping to make an escape into the house quickly. She had no shame in hiding in the bedroom she was waiting until Stefan left. However, it appeared that Stefan had other ideas.

“Caroline. Please. I just want to talk.” Stefan pleaded, walking around Elena and ignoring her. Caroline crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Stefan. She wanted him to know very well that she was not in the mood to speak with him. “Look, just give me five minutes, okay? I just want to make sure you’re okay and then I’ll leave. I promise.”

Caroline looked at Stefan with suspicion. Part of her wanted to believe him. To know that he would leave but in the last few months, Stefan has done nothing but ignore her wants and desires since she ended their relationship. Yet, the way he looked at her made Caroline ache for the friend she once had. She knew that that bridge burned down long ago but she remembered all the years they had cared for one another and those memories is what made her decision.

“Okay.” Caroline let out in a whisper, she turned towards Elena who was giving them both worried looks. “It’s okay. Go inside and get some rest. I’ll be alright.” Elena gave Stefan a stern look but nodded. She turned away from them and made her way into the Boarding House. Caroline turned to look at Stefan again, nodding towards the back of the house. “Come on, lets go.”

“Lead the way.” Stefan replied and Caroline walked towards the side of the house, leading him around the dusty Tudor brick and along the edge of the trees. The pair was silent, no sound could be heard except the wet grass and leaves under their shoes. Stefan stepped on a twig and cracking sound echoed through the cool air like a thunderbolt. The energy between them was uneasy and awkward making Caroline realize that there really was no chance of getting back to that friendship they once had.

Caroline could feel Klaus’s jealousy raging through her veins. She knew that Klaus did not like the idea of her speaking with her ex. He tolerated Damon, despite the fact that he had once ripped her heart out and shattered it into a thousand pieces when she was fifteen, because it was obvious that he was in love with Elena. Stefan, however, was another story. Stefan had made it clear that he wanted Caroline back, to the point that he did not completely respect her wishes; something that a very old demon was not pleased with. However, Caroline knew that if Stefan was going to leave her alone, she needed to make it once again clear that she did not want to get back together with him. She had too much on her plate to deal with to have to worry about Stefan as well.

“Talk. Five minutes.” Caroline stated when they reached the back patio that overlooked the massive backyard of the Boarding House. She crossed her arms and glared at him. Stefan reached up and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. His hazy green eyes studying her face as though he was searching for something; looking for some clue that was untangle the mystery of what was going on in her mind. “Stefan?”

“Sorry. I was just thinking.” He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “When you were in the hospital, I was working in the ER that night, the late shift. I had wanted to come up to the third floor and see you. I was worried and needed to know you were okay. However, Elena talked me out of it. Stating that you wouldn’t appreciate waking up to find me in your room.”

“Elena is wise. Listen to Elena.”

“That is what Damon says.” Stefan muttered in an almost bitter tone. “I just want you to know that I meant what I said that day on your porch. It wasn’t a spur of the moment question. I had been thinking about it for a long time. I thought it was the right move and had plans to ask you before you ended things. I still think that you and I could be great together. I had wanted us to be together until our time was up, knowing that I would follow you anywhere.”

“I don’t want to marry you Stefan.” Caroline replied, trying to keep the exasperation and irritation from her voice. She was not in the mood to get into a fight with her ex. She remembered the day when she lost her job and Stefan proposed, realizing that it was only a few weeks ago but it felt like a million years had passed since then. “I’m sorry if that hurts but I just can’t.”

“Can you at least tell my why? What I did?”

“It wasn’t anything you did but it just felt like our entire relationship was expected. Like, we had been best friends for so long that it was expected for us to end up together at some point. It felt stale, forced and just…wrong. I’m sorry Stefan but we were better off as friends. We never should have tried a relationship or let it go one as long as it did.”

“I thought we were doing just fine.” Stefan muttered and Caroline wanted to point that such a comment was exactly the problem. Stefan felt as though Caroline was a sure thing and that their relationship did not need to have any work put into it. That it was easy and perhaps it was for Stefan but for Caroline, it was just suffocating.

“Stefan, I can’t-“Caroline’s words were cut off when something caught her eye. On the edge of the trees, all the way across the lawn, she could see a small figure standing there looking at her. She narrowed her eyes and, hoping to get a better look at what she was seeing. She could see the image of a small boy, no older than ten, walking behind the trees, looking at her. Caroline felt her heart leap into her throat and her stomach flip.

She knew that boy.

“Caroline?”

“Sorry, Stefan. I got distracted.” Caroline shook her head and turned back to Stefan. “Look, I don’t want to be in a relationship with you and you have to learn to accept that. I am sure that there is someone out there who will love you the way you deserve but I am not that person. I’m sorry.” She tried to give him a sympathetic look and a small smile, but she found that she did not have it in her; her mind was already in those woods. She turned to walk down the stone steps and into the yard before turning to look over her shoulder. “I think it is best that we take time apart and maybe one day we can get back to being friends.”

“Where are you going?” Stefan asked, his voice appear confused and concerned. His eyes were darting across her face, as though he was searching for some answer to a question that was plaguing him. However, Caroline could not care about what was going on in Stefan’s mind.

“I need to go for a walk. Clear my head.” Caroline turned away from him and walked down the stone steps, out into the yard behind the Boarding House. She did not look back at Stefan, but she could feel his eyes glaring into her back. Instead, Caroline focused on the edge of the trees, knowing that just behind them she would find that small boy that she had only seen in her dreams. She thought for a moment she heard Stefan calling after her, but she ignored him.

She walked faster towards the woods, heading towards the setting sun and not caring that the woods would be dark. There was a cold chill in the air, and she knew it was not from the late September air. Klaus was in those woods and she knew that she would safe. She could feel him, all around her, beckoning her to him. She knew that it was the mark on her bones that told her Klaus was with her.

When she was just beyond the woods, the trees blocking the sight of the Boarding House, a small boy stepped out from behind one tree. He had sandy brown hair, pale skin and dark eyes that made Caroline’s hair stand on end. He gave her a dazzling smile and let out a chilling chuckle that weaved into the darkness, that even made the falling leaves freeze. The boy stepped closer to Caroline, but she felt no need to run because she knew that he would not hurt her.

“You must be Henrik.” Caroline said to the boy, giving him a comforting smile. If it had been any other child, she would have sunk down to his level, but she somehow felt that doing so would be disrespectful. This child was impossibly old even his mind set was a millennium younger. She knew that Klaus did what he could to protect this changeling. “I’m very happy to meet you.”

“You’re very pretty.” Henrik told her with a tilt of his head. His voice was high pitched and inhuman and afterward, there was an eerie silence that hung in the air. He held out his hand, hoping that she would take it. Without thinking, Caroline slipped her hand into his; knowing that this little boy was known for leading children to their deaths. “Nik asked me to come and get you. Come with me. He is waiting for you.”

“Thank you.” The words slipped past her lips, feeling flattered by the compliment. She knew that Henrik’s innocence was part of why so many children willingly followed him. Caroline did not know what that says about her, happily following the murderous child into the darkened woods. Henrik’s hand was cold, and Caroline took in his clothes. Simple jeans and a t-shirt; an outfit that is completely out of place in such cooling temperatures. “Where are we going?”

“To play.” Henrik said with a giggle and Caroline almost felt afraid. The woods were growing darker and the trees thicker. She had not been this far into the woods since she was a teenager, sneaking off to either get high or drunk with Stefan and Elena. At the time, it never felt so alive. The trees felt as though they had their own heart beats, the sound pounding in her ear. She knew that the actual son of Satan was waiting for her and the thought should terrify her; but it didn’t. “But don’t worry. It’s not me that you’ll be playing with.”

“No?”

“No. Unfortunately my friends all turn red and end up screaming.” Chills ran down her spine; imagines of the mangled bodies of children entered her mind. Henrik however did not seem phased by the confession, one that she already knew. The way the child spoke, it was as though the fact that he dissected his victims as though he was doing nothing more than spinning a toy top on the pavement was perhaps the most terrifying thing, she had heard in the last several weeks. That mere fact spoke volumes. “I don’t think I’d like to hear you scream.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. You don’t want me to turn red either? Right?” Henrik paused and turned to look at her, studying her. His eyes trailed her entire body, the autumn breeze passing around them, but she knew that it wasn’t the weather that was making her cold. Holding the boy’s gaze, Caroline felt as though she was looking into the deepest pits of darkness she never seen before. Even standing in of Hell itself did she ever see such a void. “Henrik?”

“I think you would look pretty covered in red.”

“Henrik.” Klaus’s voice sounded around them and Caroline’s heart slowed, a wave of calm easing through her veins. She could feel him before he appeared before her. She could smell the musky scent of the underworld hit her nostrils and she smiled. Klaus slowly stepped out from behind one of the trees and leaned against it with his arms crossed. “Thank you, Henrik, but I think Caroline and I would like to be alone now.”

“Bye. I’m sure we can play another time.” Henrik turned and weaved his way through the trees in an inhuman manner. It was as though the world bent in a hazy fog around him; the edges of reality crackling in his mere presence. In the back of Caroline’s mind, she wondered where she would be going and if it was wise to allow him to roam the woods just outside Mystic Falls, a small town where many children lived.

“Hello Sweetheart.” Klaus’s voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she felt her heart skip a beat when he smiled at her with those dimples. She took in his appearance, smiling at how simple it was. Nothing more than a black Henley with a silver chain hanging around his neck and a pair of jeans, dressed as though he was expecting her to undress him. Caroline smirked back at him, knowing that the same thoughts were running through his mind.

“Klaus.” Caroline took a step forwards and held out her hand, which he took willingly. His fingers were cool against her skin. His thumb tracing her knuckles while his expressive eyes looked directly into hers. “Did Elijah find that person who was outside the shop?”

“No.” Klaus replied and there was a hint of annoyance in his tone that told Caroline that he had words with Elijah about his failure. However, Klaus leaned down and pulled Caroline into a kiss, stopping all thoughts about what had transpired in the shop earlier. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her body against his. She could feel his mark purring inside her, begging to be released, to claim in back. “But that is not why I had Henrik bring you here.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because I’ve been thinking about what you said.” Klaus whispered into the darkness. “You question what it means for you to fall in love with someone like me. The Anti-Christ. The literal son of Satan and the demon who has possession of the soul that belonged to the only mother figure you’ve ever know.” She looked up to him, confused of what he was saying. “What is about you that makes me want to change everything that I know, just to make you happy?”

“I don’t-“

“I want to make a deal.” Klaus told her and Caroline could feel her heart freeze. Her blue eyes grew wide, terrified at what he had just said. Klaus had once told her that he would never make a deal with her. That he wanted her to come to him with no strings attached; that he wanted her to hand her soul over to him on her own merits. “You said that you wanted to complete the mark. That you wanted to mark me, to carve yourself onto my soul.”

“Yes. I want that. I want nothing more than to be with you.” Caroline whispered, her voice hoarse with shock and surprise. Here was possibly one of the most powerful demons who has ever lived, coming to her with the request to make a deal; and Caroline was considering it. “What are the terms of this deal? My soul?”

“No. Your end of the bargain is to complete the mark. Mark me and make me yours.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair. “And then when you die decades down the line and your soul come to me as my equal, I will hold up my end of the bargain. I will give you Cami’s soul as gift for you to do as you please.”

“Yes.” She didn’t have to think about the terms or agreements of what Klaus was proposing. She did not have to second guess what she was about to do. This was a deal that felt more like a gift; a gift that would benefit her more than it would Klaus. If anything, it told Caroline just how much Klaus was willing to sacrifice for her. “Let’s make the deal. Here. Now. Then I will hold up my end immediately.”

Klaus studied her for a moment, searching for any hint of wavering. He wanted her to be sure, understanding what she was agreeing to. Finding what he was looking for, Klaus held out his hand and in a wave of black smoke, a dagger appeared in his hand. He placed the blade in his palm, slicing a deep cut into the center of it. Caroline watched as the blood pooled against his white skin until she noticed that he was holding the dagger out for her to take. Without a second thought, Caroline gripped the dagger and sliced into her own hand; not even caring about the pain. Klaus gripped her bleeding hand with his, mixing their blood together until it was impossible to tell the red liquid apart. Caroline felt a cold wave overcome her skin while Klaus’s mark purred inside her chest, welcoming the deal that was settling itself atop her soul.

“Is it done?” She asked in a low tone almost as though she was scared that someone would hear them and know what they had done. Once the deal was sealed and she could feel the weight hanging in her chest, the world still seemed to shift back to normal as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. She wondered lowly if this was out Cami felt when she had made the deal with Klaus all those years ago.

“Yes.” Klaus replied, reaching down towards her bleeding hand and grasped her palm. She noticed that his wound was completely healed and while hers still had a slight trickle of blood pouring out of it. Caroline furred her brow, gazing at her own wound and noticing that it had scabbed over far too quickly than should have been normal but was still sore. “Come, there is a place I want to take you.”

“Where is that?”

“You’ll see.” Klaus’s lips turned upward, and he began pulling her deeper into the trees, Caroline following him; her mind still reeling from what she had just done. His fingers were drawing small circles on her palm, tracing what was slowly feeling like nothing more than a scar, sending heat coursing through her veins, the fire in the pit of her stomach flaring to life. Their walk was short, for Henrik had taken her most of the way and it was not long before Klaus and Caroline were standing in front of a pile of rubble. “I struggled to find a place where this could be done, since your home is no longer of use.”

“That’s not my fault.” Caroline shot back with narrowed eyes. However, she could not help but chuckled at the thought that the anti-Christ was searching for a place that they could be alone, making Caroline realize how little she would actually be alone back at the Boarding House. “Where are we?”

“This used to be a church and about a century ago, it had burned to the ground.” Klaus clicked his fingers and some of the stones and rubble moved on their own volition. A set of stone steps appeared, and torches became a flamed, lighting their path. Slowly, Klaus began to lead her down the stone steps. At the base was an iron gate, one that she had recognized from her time in New Orleans. “I had it connected to the Abattoir, a place where we can be completely alone.”

“You were confident that I was going to accept your deal?” She asked, watching as Klaus pushed open the gate and refusing to answer. They weaved through a long hallway until they reached a place that could not possibly be underground. The courtyard of the Abattoir appeared, and Caroline sucked in a breath. It was as beautiful as she remembered. Iron balconies surrounding the courtyard and a stone fountain in the center, the markings in a language she now knew belonged to Klaus’s native tongue. She looked up the stairs where she knew Freya’s portrait hung only to find the frame completely empty. Klaus clicked his fingers again, and hundreds of candles lit themselves, causing the Abattoir to become a glow. She looked upward and saw that the sky was no longer dark and the stars that hung there had vanished. Replaced with a purple sky that she knew could only belong in Hell.

“Completely alone.” Klaus came up behind her, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I could not stop thinking about what you said in your dream. I’ve thought of little else and I could feel the bond wavering, fading. I need to feel you again. Claim you but I will not stop you from making this permanent because we are running out of time.” Caroline turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his shoulders. Klaus placed his hands on her hips but made no movement to kiss her. “I would give you anything you want. Anything if you just choose me. Choose to be with me.”

“I don’t know what to do. The words-” 

“Follow your instincts. The bond will guide you. Let it. That is what it has been craving to do since the moment I marked you. The words will come. Just follow its lead.” Klaus replied and Caroline nodded. Her eyes flickered down to his lips, desire to feel them again took over and she leaned forward, pulling him into a deep kiss; nipping at his lips with her teeth. Klaus allowed her complete control of the kiss but returned the kiss with equal passion. Caroline’s tongue peaked out from her lips, pressing against his and begging for entrance.

Klaus parted his lips, giving Caroline the access, she had craved. She pressed her tongue against his, massaging his while his hands remained firmly on her hips. His grip was tight and his nails digging into the fabric of her new pair of jeans. She could tell that he wanted to take control, to throw her down upon the wooden table and fuck her into oblivion, strengthening the bond but he refrained. If the mark was to be completed, Caroline had to be the one to claim him.

Caroline pulled her lips away and began nipping at his jaw, the mark purring inside of her. It itched for more, wanting to sink her nails into his flesh and mark him as hers. Caroline could feel her entire body be aflame. The mixture of arousal and Klaus’s mark on her soul pushed her forward, needing more and more of him. Caroline nipped and sucked at his pulse point, her teeth sinking into his skin; leaving a bruise that she could only hope lingered for days to come.

“Sweetheart.” Klaus hissed out her name, torturous desire coursing through him. Caroline smiled at the sound, enjoying the effect her lips were having upon his arousal. She could feel his hard erection pressing against her leg through his jeans; the mark inside her cooing at the feeling. “Does this really need to be so tortuous?”

“I thought that it was my show this time.” Caroline replied, chuckling at his impatience. She got flashes of the night they had spent together, causing another wave of desire to course through her. She moved her hands from around his shoulders, slowly dragging them down to the front of his chest. Her nails creating a soft tearing sound of his shirt. The bond hissed in offense of the fabric, wanting to see his skin; needing to touch it. The mark flared to life, causing Caroline to grip the black Henley and tore it into two, pushing the now ruin shirt off his shoulders into the stone floor. “I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

Caroline’s nails felt sharper than was possible for a mere human and she curled her fingers, dragging her nails down his chest; leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Her lips began kissing his collarbone while her nails dug further into the paleness of his skin. She pressed a kiss to the pendant that rested on his chest; knowing now that it was the physical manifestation of his mark. The sight of it caused the mark inside her to yearn for more. Her fingers traced the top of his jeans, dipping just below the hem.

She pulled at the button, popping it open before sliding the zipper down in order for the jean to be left completely open. Caroline looked into Klaus’s eyes; eyes that were dark and heavy with lust. His desire prickled through the bond, causing Caroline to let out a small moan at the feeling. Their eyes locked onto one another as she slowly sank down to her knees, her gaze turning to his open jeans.

Caroline hooked her fingers through the belt loops and slowly pulled the jeans down his legs. Klaus kicked off his boots and socks in order for him to step out of his jeans. Caroline tossed them aside before gripping his jet-black boxer shorts. She yanked them down as well, tossing them to lay beside his jeans. Caroline sat back on her heels, gazing up at a completely naked Klaus, his erection standing pronounced and ready. The mark screamed inside her head, the urge to claim him stronger than it had even been before. Caroline felt herself give over to the mark completely, allowing it to take control; shifting something inside her that she did not recognize.

It was electrifying.

Caroline leaned forward to kiss his hip bone as her nails dug into his hips. Klaus let out a strangled cry. Caroline smirked against his skin, knowing where he wanted her mouth to be. She glanced up at him, his gaze watching her with such intensity, Caroline and the mark both wanted to take pity on him. Caroline could feel words bubble at her lips; ones she had only ever heard spoke to her but ones she never had said aloud.

“ _Mea.”_ The voice was light and almost angelic. It was something that Caroline did not recognize but after a second, she realized that it was the mark itself speaking. Tingles rose on her skin and the excitement pooled between her thighs. Her tongue slipped through her lips and took one long lick up his shaft. “ _Ego autem mark. Scelero onto vestry me ossa mea. Anima mea sicut et ego dici tibi”_

“Hells Caroline.” Klaus breathed out, his fingers digging into her scalp as she took Klaus fully into her mouth. She could feel the tip of his penis hit the back of her throat. She bobbed her head, stroking his shaft with her lips, sucking him in order to bring him close to that brink. She turned her head to the side, in order for him to a different angle inside her mouth. Klaus cried out, his nails leaving scratch marks on her head; trying desperately not to guide her in his pleasure. “Yes. Just like that Sweetheart. Your mouth is so good at this. Just like that.”

Caroline reached up and cupped his balls, massaging them as her teeth gently scraped against his penis. Klaus’s hips bucked, causing his penis to hit the back of her throat. Caroline moaned at the feeling, knowing that Klaus was close. She peeked up at him and saw that his eyes were shut, and his jaw slacked. The mark purred at the sight, knowing that he was slowly giving himself over to her. She didn’t want him coming so soon. The mark needed him to be buried deep inside her when his seed was released.

Caroline pulled back, allowing his member to slip from her lips and placed a small kiss on the tip. Klaus groaned in frustration, his eyes boring down at her, momentarily forgetting why they were there. Caroline gave him another smirk, leaning forward to gently kiss his hip bone. Slowly, she began leaving a trail of kisses up his body; standing from her knees. Her tongue slipped out of her lips again, licking his abs; spreading the mixture of his salvia and precum over his naked body. Her fingers dug into the side of his waist, leaving more half-moon marks on his skin that she knew would fade almost instantly.

“Caroline.” Klaus let out a struggled moan. Once Caroline was on her feet, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders again, bringing Klaus down into another passionate kiss. She pressed her clothed body against his naked one, a moan whimpering through her lips. The kiss was bruising and hot, the taste of him mixing on both of their lips. She gripped his shoulder with on hand with the other took ahold of the pendant that hung around his next.

_“Mea.”_ The word sounded like a melody that hung in the air as she pulled away, pulling at the chain as though it was a leash. Caroline all but dragged him across the courtyard and had him stand directly in front of the wooden table, pressing her palms to his chest. The marked burned inside her, knowing that the time was upon them. With strength that should not have been possible, Caroline pushed Klaus backwards, causing him to land on the wooden table. The sound of him hitting the wood was crackling and for a moment, she was surprised that it did not break.

Caroline looked over his body, naked and read for her. She gripped the edge of her sweater, slowly pulling it over her head and tossing it on the ground. She kicked off her shoes and socks, never breaking eye contact with him. She unfastened her jeans, dragging her panties down her legs with her. She pulled her tank top off and unfastened her bra. The warmth of the purple sky above graced her skin; her arousal slick between her thighs.

She placed her hands on his ankles, slowly slipping upward. She crawled onto the table, until she was looming above Klaus, her nipples gazing his chest. She leaned down and took his lips into another kiss.

“ _Non te deserant circumda_.” Caroline muttered against his lips; the mark strengthens the bond with each syllable pronounced. Klaus places his hands on her hips, thrusting forward in hopes of his aching members making contact with her drenched core. Caroline smiled into his lips and sat up, resting her hands on his chest. She reaches down and grips his penis, her thumb spreading precum over his tip. She aligns it with her aching core and slowly sinks down onto him. “ _Et ponere mei conferri pestem vestry cutis marcam. Meus es tu. Pertinent es ad me.”_

“Yes. I feel it. I feel you.” Klaus groaned as Caroline rotated her hips. Her movements were slow at first, lifting herself up and down, almost causing him to slip out of her before she sank back down onto him. She used her hands, that were still pressed against his chest as leverage. Klaus watched as she rode him slowly, the bond between them growing stronger and her mark carving itself onto his bones. She leaned forward in order for the nub between her legs to rub against his groin, sending shock waves through her body. Sharp and breathtaking pleasure was flowing through them; causing their bodies to grow slick with sweat and magic. “Yes. Kiss me. Please.”

She leaned down and captured Klaus’s lips with hers, closing her eyes as she did. In the darkness of her own mind, Caroline could feel every inch of Klaus’s soul intertwining with hers. Flashes of six thousand years played out before her as some movie she had only seen the previews of. Visions of hellfire and damned souls etched themselves onto her bones, marking her as _taken_ for anyone else who dared tried to claim her. Caroline wondered what Klaus could possibly be seeing but as she opened eyes, the sight of pure bliss on Klaus’s face caused a fresh wave of arousal to surge through her. Her mark was taking root inside him.

Caroline rode him harder and harder. She sat up straighter and gripped Klaus’s hands that where still on her hips. Her knees scraped against the wood of the table, leaving marks that would hurt later. She threw her head back, her breasts bouncing with her movements as she felt him inside her, stretching and filling her. There was heat flowing through her veins and she was not sure if it was the bond or just the arousal but whatever it was had her screaming until her throat hurt.

_“Caroline signum est indelebilis onto vestry meam. Aeternum.”_ She could feel that coil building inside her belly, waiting to burst. She felt as though she was on fire and that the world around her was brighter. It was more than just simple pleasure, of the feeling of Klaus inside her or fucking him, feeling every inch of him in her body. She felt as though she was swimming in his essence, and that part of her was flowing into him. In a second, Caroline felt that coil snap and felt herself let go. Suddenly, nothing else mattered except that feeling of release and the warmth of Klaus seeping into her. Caroline felt as though every cell in her body was reborn and alive. Her body felt both stronger and weightless.

She collapsed on top of him, the entirety of her body feeling exhausted. Klaus placed small kisses on the top of her head, his fingers trailing down her back, drawing soothing circles on her skin. She rested her head against his chest, letting herself listen to him breathe and sound of his heartbeat; but there was so much more. She could feel the blood rushing through his veins like a tidal wave in the ocean. She could feel the contentment that Klaus was sitting in. It was like before, knowing what his emotions were before she claimed him, but they were stronger. It wasn’t overpowering and the presence in her mind felt more settled. She knew he was there but now she could feel his _mind._

“I can feel you. Every inch of you feels open to me. Like you’re a book I’m reading but there is no end to it.” Caroline whispered to him as though they could be heard from the outside world. They were completely alone and there was no way another soul could hear what she said but the moment was private, that anything above a whisper would take away from the moment; a moment that she knew was running out of time.

“You’ll get used to it.” Klaus leaned down and kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent. “In time, the link will grow even stronger. What you feel now is nothing what you’ll be able to do in a century or two.” Klaus’s grin grew wide, his eyes sparkling with merriment at the possibilities. “Oh, you will be a fearsome thing to behold. I cannot wait to see what you do with the minions in Hell.”

“I thought you were not the King of Hell yet? What minions could I possibly command?”

“ _Yet_ being the key word, Sweetheart.” Klaus teased her, his dimples making it impossible for Caroline to think clearly. After a moment, his eyes grew sad and Caroline felt herself pull him closer to her, not wanting to leave this space. “As much as I want to keep you here for eternity. I think it would be best that you head back.”

“Why?” Caroline whispered; a feeling of dread filled her. She knew what was waiting for her outside those iron gates. The Abattoir was safer than the Boarding House, it was spelled for only Klaus and his siblings to enter, and guests of their choosing. “It is safe here. Let me stay until Mikael rises and then has to go back to his domain.”

“Sweetheart, you could stay here for all eternity and I would let you but that does not mean the coven would stop looking for you. The coven is old, and they have thousands of years and generations of black magic behind them.” Klaus picked up her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “Elijah and I cannot track them. They could be hiding in plain sight. The magic they draw from Mikael,” Klaus hissed out his name “has them masked well.”

“You’re afraid that they could find a way in here?” Her heartbeat picked up; her panic mixed with Klaus’s melancholy made the bliss from their union slowly wear off. The reality of everything was coming back to her in a force that she wasn’t prepared for. It was like her emotions were heightened, the bond twisting in her veins. “But what about when you and the rest banished Mikael? You were able to kill the coven then.”

“Freya drew them out. They came out of hiding.” Caroline sat up, pulling out of Klaus’s arms and allowing the heat from Hell’s sky to warm her. Klaus followed suit, pressing a kiss to her shoulder blade; Mikael’s mark flaring to life in a hiss. “I cannot kill what I cannot find but I promise you, the moment they show themselves, I will have their heads.”

“And Mikael?”

“He can’t touch you now.” Klaus replied, touching the offending mark that was growing more painful by the minute. “The bond is weeding out his. Soon, Mikael’s mark will be gone and that connection the coven placed upon you will fade. If it’s completely gone by the time the coven is ready to do the sacrifice, then Mikael will have no use for you.”

“And if its not completely gone?”

“I don’t know. To be honest, something like this has never been done. One mark taking over another. The only solace I can offer is that the barn branded onto your shoulder was done to you has a child and not by the demon himself. Its weak. Compared to the bit of my soul that you now possess, it is nothing. We just need time. Not much, but enough for Mikael’s essence to leave you.”

“Well that is something.” Caroline nodded, looking over her shoulder at Klaus. He leaned forward, taking her lips with his. The kiss was slow and lengthy, passion bubbling beneath the surface. “Better than nothing I suppose. If I did stay here, I think Elena would lose her mind. She is becoming something of a mama bear lately.”

“She is a good friend.” Caroline leaned in again, placing a gentle kiss on his lips again before moving off of the table. She let her feet hit the wood floor, feeling the heat on her heels; making her wonder how she never realized just how unworldly the Abattoir was when Klaus had brought her here when they had first met. As Caroline moved, she felt her legs stretch and move with an almost glide that was new. Her eyes grew wide and she had to grip the table, snapping a piece off as though it was paper, causing Klaus to chuckle. “Don’t worry, you’ll grow used to it.”

“I keep feeling you, as though your arms are wrapped around me. I can smell you. I feel like I’m something new, stronger. I don’t-“

“Shh,” Klaus walked around the table, pulling her into his arms. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, pressing their naked bodies together. “Understanding everything you’re feeling will grow in time. One day, you’ll be able to think of something for me and I’ll hear it, just like you could hear me. But for now, get dressed and get some rest.”

Caroline leaned up to kiss him on last time before retrieving her clothing. She dressed slowly, Klaus reaching out to touch her, preventing her from dressing quickly enough. Once her legs were slipped into her jeans and her sweater resting on her shoulders, Caroline slowly headed towards the iron gate that would lead her back into wood. With one last look over her shoulder, Caroline gazed at Klaus who was resting against one of the sofa’s, still completely naked, watching her leave. She smiled and pushed the iron gate open, stepping up the stone steps and into the woods.

Despite the fact that she left Klaus behind, she could still feel his smirk against her skin and his laughter in her mind. There was a bittersweet levity as she stepped out onto the fallen leaves. The first thing she noticed was how light the world around her seemed. The darkness that was caused by nightfall seemed nothing more than a grey huh. She could see farther than she could before and the sounds around her seemed so much more intense. She could hear the flicker of a bonfire and the laughter of some teenagers who were messing around at least six miles south. The rushing water of the Falls lingered in the back of her mind, mingling with Klaus’s sent that was still on her skin.

The mark on her should felt as though it was being branded on her for the first time. The searing pain should have made Caroline cry out; screaming for some relief. Yet, she kept moving. She could feel the burning, but it didn’t faze her as it should have. There were no tears or even the desire to dig her nails into the mark to claw it out of her like she before whenever it flared up. She didn’t even have the desire to put Cami’s lotion on it in order to sooth the pain away.

It took her mere minutes to reach the Boarding House, far quicker than it had been when Henrik lead her into the dark woods, stopping just at the edge of the trees. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the manor. She could hear Elena’s soft breathing; the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. Damon’s footsteps pacing back and forth in what she assumed was the kitchen and someone rummaging through the old cellars.

Stefan was still inside.

Caroline groaned, rolling her eyes before she took another step forward. She walked across the lawn and made took the few stone steps up onto the porch. She opened the back door and slipped inside, shutting it behind her as quietly as she could. All she wanted was to head upstairs, lock the bedroom door and feel Klaus’s mark; knowing that he was basking in hers. Mikael’s was still eating away at her skin, fighting back on a losing battle within her.

“Caroline?” Biting down on her lip, a bit harder than she intended, she turned around to see Damon walking out of the kitchen and down the few steps into the foyer, a towel in hand. Caroline inhaled, smelling the fresh scent of dish soap coming off of its hands. “Where have you been? It’s been hours and Elena was worried about you. She texted you like a million times and you didn’t respond. Stefan gave her a pill to keep her calm.”  
  


“I needed to take a walk. To think.” She muttered, feeling as though she didn’t need to explain herself to Damon. His blue eyes were gazing at her, concern playing them. She didn’t want Damon’s concern and from the irritation sparking in the forefront of her mind, she could sense that Klaus didn’t like Damon’s concern either. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”

“Caroline, are you okay?” Damon asked, taking a step forward. He wanted to reach out, take her hand but he refrained. Caroline wondered for a moment what it was about him that made her jump into a relationship with him at the tender age of fifteen. She did not see the appeal that Elena did. That desire to spend her life with him.

_It is because he is not me, Sweetheart._ Klaus’s voice teased her, amused by her thoughts. She could sense so much more than amusement. There were whispers of his thoughts molding with hers. She could tell them apart; thoughts that were strictly hers and those that belonged to him. It was new and terrifying all at the same time; like a cliff standing tall above a series of crashing waves, waiting for Caroline to jump into them.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She heard something then, a ringing of a phone. It was her ringtone, one that she had painstakingly picked when Elena handed her the new mobile. Yet, the weight of her phone in her back pocket was not moving. She could not feel a single ounce of vibration. Caroline blinked for a few seconds and the smell of sage and the sound of a mellow voice entered her thoughts. “Bonnie is calling me.”

“What?”

“Bonnie. She is calling” Caroline reached into her pocket and pulled her phone, staring at the blank screen. Seconds later, it lights up with Bonnie’s name and the ringtone began to play; vibrating in her hand. Damon cocked his head, going pale as though he had seen a ghost. Caroline ignored him and answered the phone, pressing to her ear. “Bonnie, what is it?”

“Caroline! You need to run. Get out. Now.” Bonnie’s breathless voice came out, frantic and terrified. Caroline could hear the sound of foots steps running down what sounded like hard wood. There was a creek of door hinges moving right before it slammed shut. There was a thud as though something hit against the door, causing Bonnie to scream. “They know I have it. They’ve come for it.”

“For what? Bonnie? What’s going on?” Caroline turned away from Damon, the edge of her sweater slipping down her shoulder, the burning mark gracing the cold air; causing it to be even more painful than before. She could almost hear it hiss at the contact; feeling as though Caroline laid naked in the freshly fallen snow, waiting for death to take her.

“My grandmother’s grimoire.” Bonnie stated in a breathless tone, her voice quivering with the words. A sense of dread filled Caroline and she knew that it did not belong to her. The fear that was gripping her did not belong to her. Klaus could hear Bonnie’s fear, knowing what it meant. “They need it. They need it for the sacrifice. Caroline, they are coming for you and you need to run. Now.”

Caroline heard another crash on the other side of the phone and the sound of more footsteps; but this time they were slower. The sound of creaking floorboards filled her ear, her heart freezing as she knew what was happening. Klaus’s anger flared in her mind, a wave of burning fire filled her veins in a fury she had never felt before. The pain in her shoulder intensifying but she couldn’t focus on it; all she could think about was Bonnie. Bonnie’s breathing labored and there was shuffling of fabric before the sound of Bonnie’s phone hit the ground with a loud thump.

“Bonnie!” Caroline cried, her eyes wide and terrified. Caroline heard a scuffle, Bonnie’s screams and then nothing. After a moment, someone picked the phone and Caroline could hear their breathing. Seconds later the call disconnected. She took a deep breath and spun around only to see Damon looking at her with wide and terrified eyes. “I have to go. A friend of mine needs help.”

“Caroline.”

“Don’t try and stop me Damon.”

“Caroline, how did you get that scar on your shoulder?” Damon asked and Caroline froze. She looked back at her ex-boyfriend wondering why he was asking. Surly he had seen it before? They had been sexually active after all. She looked over to a mirror that hung on the side of the living room. She turned to in order to see the mark in the mirror, realizing why it was hurting as though the brand was new.

The scar had dug itself so deeply into her shoulder that blood was trickling down her pale white skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it folks, the chapter everyone has been waiting for. Caroline has marked Klaus, and made a deal with him for Cami's soul. Big things happened. Let me know what you think in the comment section because I'm dying to hear your thoughts!!!
> 
> Also, mini announcement. 
> 
> I have chapter 19 ready (well, not edited but its written) and I've started chapter 20. There will be 22 chapters in this story. So, I've come to the decision that I'm NOT posting another chapter until I've completed the story. Rage now but you thank me for it later because then the updates will be really close together, like..three or four days apart.


	19. Thirty Pieces of Silver

“Caroline.” Damon asked again, staring at her through the mirror. His pale blue eyes could not focus on anything but the bleeding mark. His pale skin appeared sickly and terrified, as though he had just bore witness to something horrifying. Caroline gazed at Damon, his expression taking her off guard, pushing the thoughts of Bonnie out of her mind for a moment. There was something going on behind his cold orbs that she couldn’t place. He almost seemed worried and scared, realizing something that he should have put together long ago. Caroline wondered if she could reach him, if the demonic mark that was pulsing through her would let her touch the edges of his mind to find out what it was that made him appear so frightened. “Get out.”

“What?” Caroline spurted out, shock radiating through her body. While the relationship between Damon and herself had never been friendly, even when they were dating, he had never been so outright hostile to her. He had left her places, leaving her stranded as he sped off in his beloved Camaro but never once did he kick her out of his own home. “You what me to leave? What? Why? Damon!”

Damon didn’t answer her. Instead he stormed past her and went down the hall, dropping the wet dish rag as he went. Caroline looked at the phone in her hand, debating on what she should do, drive to Richmond or follow Damon. The chances of her getting to Bonnie in time where slim and she knew that, as her brain went through a thousand different scenarios as to what was happening to her at that very moment. However, Caroline turned on her heels and followed Damon up the stairs and towards the bedroom that she was occupying.

Damon had pulled out a suitcase she had never seen from the hallway closet and threw it onto the bed. He quickly began shoving the clothing Elena had bought Caroline into the suitcase. Caroline tried to draw his attention, calling his name and even standing in his way but he didn’t not pay attention to her. Caroline had never seen Damon so determined as he was in that moment, throwing her belongings into a case with the intent of tossing her out of the Boarding House.

“Damon! What the fuck!” Caroline yelled in frustration. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the case as lightly as she could, but he still stumbled backwards, hitting the wall with a loud thump. He lost his balance and slid to the floor, his gaze looking up at her in surprise at the strength of her force. “Look, I don’t have fucking time to deal with whatever hatred for me you’re feeling right now but I have a friend who needs me.”

“Forget your friend Caroline. You need to get out of town. Now.” Damon hissed and Caroline paused, looking at Damon with confusion as his words sunk into her. There was a moment that froze in the back of her mind, pieces being put together and after a second, Caroline could feel Klaus’s fury come center fold. Slowly, Damon pulled himself from the floor in order to stand directly in front of Caroline. “You need to leave. Now.”

“You’re a part of it aren’t you?” Caroline whispered, staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. She tried to block out the rage and screams that Klaus was throwing her way, knowing that he was hellbent on making his way to the Boarding House. The plans he had for Damon that were flashing in her mind were possibly the most bloody and brutal images she had ever seen. If all of Damon’s blood painted the walls of hell, it wouldn’t be enough. “Damon? All those late nights? Elena thought you were having an affair but you were a part of this….coven?”

“What? Coven? No!” Damon shook his head, running his fingers through his jet-black hair, gazing up at Caroline with fear. He started pacing in front of her and Caroline was trying to understand what he was saying. “I’m not a part of any black magic coven. I left that shit behind fucking years ago. I thought all this madness ended when mom died but apparently, I was gravely mistaken.”

“Damon? Your mom? What? What does Lillian have to do with any of this?”

“Everything!”

“I’m not following Damon so spell out for me. What the fuck does your mom have to do with the fact that I’m being stalked and harassed by shadows and witches and a power-hungry demon because the only thing that has become clear is that you know more than you’re letting on. So, start talking.”

“My mother was insane Caroline. You know that. She was never right in the head.” Damon hissed out and Caroline thought back to the amount of times that Damon had ranted about his mother to her as teenagers. He would complain that Lillian was overbearing and hostile. Then the moment she stepped out in front of that bus, her blood staining the pavement, Damon ended their relationship and she never thought on it again. “God. All I know is one day we were in Italy. Living a normal life. Grieving over the loss of our dad and mom comes home one day and tells us we are moving to the United States.”

“I know all this-“

“No. Caroline. You don’t.” Damon let out a huff. “I’ve kept a lot of think a secret, from you and from Elena because I thought I put that madness behind me and was able to move on with my life. Anyway, mom picked us up and moved us here despite the fact that she hated it the entire time. She did not want to be here. She did not want to leave Italy, but she did anyway. Because she was told to. My mother moved us here because she had orders to do so.”

“Why would she do that?” Caroline whispered, thinking back to the moment the Salvatore family moved to Mystic Falls. She had been young, no older than six, and she could remember the gossiped that flowed around their arrival. A young widow moves her two sons to a small town with the story that she needed a fresh start after the death of her husband. It was a plausible story and one the town didn’t question. They opened their arms, welcoming her despite the fact that Lillian was anything but pleasant.

“Because she was told to.” Damon replied, taking a deep breath. Caroline could hear the pounding of his heart, racing and pounding his chest. He flexed his hand and she could smell the scent of his sweat greasing his palms, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. “My parents belonged to some old order in Italy. As a little kid, I didn’t know any better. Mom and Dad just wore long black cloaks, chanted funny words and made things float. It seemed _normal._ Because everyone around us did the same thing but when we came here, I began to realize that it wasn’t normal.”

“Damon. Why did you move here? Why were you sent here?”

“Because of you.” Caroline felt that raw fury screaming out, filling her mind but she couldn’t tell if it was her own anger or Klaus’s that pulsed through her. All she knew was that she was frozen on the spot, gazing into Damon’s remorseful face. “The order came down from someone I had never met. Someone not even in Italy but someone my mother could not refuse. My mother came here because they needed someone to watch you. To keep an eye on you. To keep you safe and close.”

“Sheila Bennett ordered your mother to come to Mystic Falls. Didn’t she?” All the times Caroline had spent in the Boarding House floated back to her. All the disapproving stares and being made to feel uneasy. Lillian always treated Caroline as though she was a pest or a necessary evil that she had to accept. It became clear to Caroline that according to Lillian, that is exactly who she was. She was the reason she had to leave her home behind and start over. Of course, she hated her.

“Yes. I never heard that name before but yeah. She ordered us to move.” Damon replied and Caroline couldn’t help but look away from him. A feeling of completely betrayal came over her. “We were told to get close to you. My mother ordered me to take an interest in you when we were old enough. She had it all planned out. You and I would marry after you graduated, live in the Boarding House until…”

“Until my death.” Caroline hissed out. Angry tears pooled in her eyes and the only thing she could focus one was the desire to rip Damon’s throat part. Everything she had known was nothing more than a lie. She wanted to scream, cry and cause as much damage as possible. “I would have said no. I would never have married you. No matter what your crazy mother would have wanted.”

“I would have wanted you to say no.” Damon shrugged. “Caroline, I never meant to hurt you. I was a young kid, being forced into something I didn’t want. It was why I was such a horrible boyfriend to you. I treated you like shit because I thought my future was set in stone by something I didn’t understand. I didn’t want you, no more than you wanted me. No offense but you probably would have driven me to become an alcoholic.”

“Funny.” Caroline snapped, her lips tasting the salt from her tears. She looked at him again, her vision blurry and her anguish at the thought that she was nothing more than a pawn the entirety of her life overshadowing the mixture of Klaus and hers anger. “That’s why you broke up with me right after your mother’s funeral. Isn’t’ it?”

“Yes.”

“What a great son you were.”

“It may sound cold Caroline, but my mother’s suicide was the best thing that happened to me. It gave me the chance at freedom. I ended it with you and for the first time in my life I felt as though I had a choice. The chance to make my own decisions and live a life that wasn’t apart of some coven of witches who spent more time worshipping a demon than actually living.” Damon took a deep breath. “So, I quiet. I stopped practicing and turned my back on them completely. My uncle Zach came to town, trying to convince me to rejoin, get back together with you but I refused. Once Stefan graduated, I thought all of this was done for and that we were finally free but seeing that mark on your shoulder. Bleeding. I realized I had been wrong.”

“Wait. Stefan? What about him? Was he?” Bile rolled in her stomach and her entire body froze. She was so focused on Damon that she had forgotten about his brother. The childhood friendship and the three-year relationship had been nothing more than a hoax; a façade to keep her close. His marriage proposal and the need to win her back all made sense. It was not about his broken heart or yearning to rekindle their relationship, it was all about the master he served. “He didn’t leave the coven, did he?”

“I thought he had.” Damon whispered, slowly. “It wasn’t until you came back from New Orleans that I started suspecting something was wrong with him. I started following him around, realizing that he was missing work at the hospital and when I went to help him move, he didn’t show. He went out of town around the time you were in New Orleans.” He paused, looking at Caroline in the eye. “We never talked about it. Italy, mom or the coven. We just pretended it didn’t happen. We never talked about the chanting we heard as children that would put us to sleep or our dad’s random and sudden death or why mom stepped out in front of that bus. I just assumed he wanted to forget like I did.” He laughed humorlessly. “I should have realized it when he started dating you but for a moment, I thought he actually loved you, so I said nothing.”

“Fuck you.” Caroline hissed out with clenched teeth. “These insane people manipulated my entire life and killed both of my parents. They killed Stephen and you knew that these monsters were waiting in the shadows? You knew what the town was saying about me and you just thought that your brother had genuine intentions? So you buried you head in the sand and-“

_THUMP._

The sound of something large and heave smashed into the Boarding House, causing it to rattle as though the very ground below it was ready to cave in. Silence rang out between Caroline and Damon, neither willing to speak as the rattling stopped. After a moment, it happened again, only this time it was louder, and the force of the hit nearly knocked Caroline off of her feet. After a moment, an echoing roar could be heard just outside and in the darkness. Hot rage seized Caroline’s entire being and she knew immediately that it was not her own emotion that she was feeling.

“Klaus.” Caroline whispered, turning away from Damon and went to gaze out the window into the night sky. In the darkness she could see figures moving in the trees and even shadows passing over the moon. The force hit again, causing Caroline to grip the edge of the windowpane; her nails digging into the wood by the sheer force of Klaus’s fury. “Why can’t he get in? What is keeping him out?”

“Caroline.” She whipped around at the sound of Damon’s hoarse voice. Damon was gripped the wooden post of the bed, holding onto it as though he could not stand on his own. His eyes had gone glassy and his knees were giving out. Before he could say another word, Damon hit the ground, his head rolling to the side and his eyes shut; passed out on the floor. Caroline’s gazed snapped up and just behind Damon was Stefan, staring at her with an expression she did not know and with a syringe in his hand.

“Remember how you used to complain that Damon talked to much? I think you were right about that one.” Stefan replied, in a tone that she had never heard from him before. It was easy but there was sense of relief in it that set her hair on end. He tossed the syringe to the ground and took a step towards her, causing Caroline to press herself against the window, never taking her eyes off of him. “Caroline. I think we need to have a conversation.”

“I’m not talking to you.”

“You know, I tried to make it easy. Our relationship was easy. We flowed together. We fit.” Stefan told her, ignoring her request that she did not want to speak with him. He stood directly in front of her, so close that she could smell the cologne rolling off of him. “It didn’t matter that the coven wanted us together to keep you close. I enjoyed what we had built so much that when you ended things, I did feel as though you had broken my heart. You and I were meant to have everything and then in death, Mikael would have welcomed us with open arms. I was going to go with you. The coven would have let me.”

“And what? You were going to let me be killed? Only to off yourself later. We’re not Romeo and Juliet, you psychopath.” Caroline snapped. “The conversation we had earlier meant nothing. You were never going to leave me alone, were you? You just were telling me what I wanted to hear.” Caroline said through clenched teeth, hating herself for not seeing what Stefan’s pleas were, nothing more than an attempt at manipulating her into what he wanted. “You’re such a fucking bastard. Don’t touch me.”

Stefan reached out his hand to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Caroline jerked backwards, not wanting to feel his hands on her ever again. She saw the look of hurt in his sage green eyes and wanted nothing more than to rip them from his skull. She pursed her lips, gathering as much saliva into her mouth as possible and spit at him, landing it directly on his cheek at the exact moment another force hit the Boarding House, sending Caroline tumbling into Stefan’s arms. Stefan grabbed her protectively, his gaze turning towards the ceiling.

“It appears that your boyfriend is having difficulty coming to your rescue.” Stefan grinned. “In truth he only has himself to blame. He was the one who gave us the idea for the spell to keep him out. Putting his mark on your house was clever. Even I couldn’t have entered and I once called that that place home. So, we did the most logical thing. We burnt it down.”

“Stefan.”

“Yes Care?”

“Stop talking.” Caroline placed her hands on his chest and pushed him off of her as hard as she could, using every ounce of the demon strength the bond between Klaus and Caroline shared to use. Stefan went flying across the room, causing him to hit the wall with a loud thump. Caroline jumped over Damon’s unconscious body and ran out the bedroom door, knowing that Stefan was just behind her.

She fled down the steps and down the hallway. On the walls she could see the Shadows dancing across each surface; their whispers yelling at her with such glee that it put her nerves on end. It had been a long time since she had heard them so happy, joyful at the scene before them. Caroline could not look at how their dark shapes molded themselves upon every surface as though the Boarding House had always been their home.

Caroline reached the front door, ripped open the door from its hinges and the moment she tried to step outside, she found herself being flung backwards. She landed in the living room, just a few inches from the fireplace. She heard a sharp crack and for a second the bones in her left arm had snapped. She laid there for a second, feeling how the bone mold themselves back together slowly. The pain was agonizing, and she could still feel the sharp sting in her shoulder from Mikael’s mark.

“We’re not foolish enough to allow you to leave.” Stefan’s voice came softly down the stairs. He walked calmly into the living room, his hands in his pockets as though it was a normal day. Caroline could see the small bruise on the side of his arm and Caroline at least smiled at the sight. If she was going to be bound and broken, then at least she was going to be able to do some damage of her own. “The Boarding House is spelled to keep the bastard out and you in. The entirety of the coven has given their blood for the spell. Hundreds of members, even the ones not here tonight and if he is able to break through our barrier, it will be too late.” Stefan replied, gazing at Caroline as he had during their relationship, with stale and unimpressed eyes. “You see, the appearance of Klaus really was not something we were expecting. Made everything a bit more difficult.”

“Jealous?”

“Yes.” Stefan said and for moment he lost that levity in his tone that he had held since they were in her bedroom. A darkness flashed in his eyes that made Caroline realize that there was a side to Stefan that she had never seen. A dark one. One who not only hid himself from her but kept his entire life a secret. She wondered how she never suspected that Stefan was into something so dark. “Tell me, how did you know to contact Klaus? You were in the dark. I made sure of that. I made sure that you knew nothing of magic and demons. Yet, you found yourself in New Orleans with your legs spread for him. How?”

“He came to me.” Caroline stated, feeling her arm completely mended and whole again. She stood from her place on the ground and gazed at her ex. Stefan was still a few feet from her, his hands in his pockets and his perfect hair only mused. “He tracked me down.”

“Why?”

“My aunt Cami made a deal.” Stefan’s shoulders grew tense and his eyes widened slightly, the attempt to keep the surprise off of his face was apparent. Caroline wondered how much it bothered Stefan not knowing how Caroline came in contact with Klaus. She thought back to the night they had dinner with Damon, and how angry he had been to learn that she had sex with another man. “She didn’t want me to end up like my mother. So, she found a loophole. She sold her soul to keep me safe. I met Klaus in a bar. He was attractive and I wanted to feel something, so I had sex with him. Eagerly. Letting him mark me and to carve his essence onto my soul.” Stefan was so still that Caroline could feel the anger prickling on her skin, the jealousy burning in his eyes. “And want to know something? It was the best sex I’ve ever had.”

Something in Stefan snapped. He rushed over to her and grabbed Caroline by the neck. He picked her up and slammed her against the wall, causing her to feel the painful bruise that would have formed there if it had not been for Klaus’s mark and the bond protecting her body from damage. Caroline gripped Stefan’s wrists, her nails digging into his skin, breaking it and causing him to bleed. The pain she felt as Stefan’s hands closed around her throat, squeezing the life from her told Caroline that she was not immune to death.

_Do it._ She thought. She looked Stefan directly in the eye, silently pleaded for him to kill her. Being strangled to death would be a preferable way to die than in a pointless sacrifice. She let Stefan’s hands squeeze tighter and tighter, praying to her lover that Stefan’s jealousy was stronger than his pledge to Mikael.

Klaus must have heard her prayer because there was harsh rattling against the house, the entire foundation shaking at Klaus’s fury. He angry screams could be heard echoing through the walls. The lights flickered and glass from the windows shattered. Yet, the magical forcefield was still keeping him out. The Shadows danced and laughed, taunting Klaus with their cleverness. Their clear amusement at having backed Klaus into a corner only infuriated him more and Caroline could feel the wrath pulsing through their bond. Wrath at the Shadows and their coven for using his own tricks against him. At Mikael for a centuries’ long feud and at Stefan for daring to lay a hand on Caroline.

And at Caroline for willing to die so easily.

“It looks like your boyfriend is trying to find a way inside.” Stefan hissed in her ear, leaning so close that he pressed his lips to her ear. His hand still tight against her throat, squeezing it hard and forcefully. She knew she could send him flying, the strength the mark had given her could overpower him physically. It would be easy, but if she gave into him now, let him kill her, then everything he and his cult members worked for would be for nothing. “How will he feel when your soul is being tormented with Mikael for all eternity? Because fucking the bastard is not something that Mikael is going to forgive easily.”

“Fuck you.” Caroline coughed out, her voice being cut off by Stefan’s hand pressing against her throat. She curved her hand in order to leave claw marks down his arm, hoping that it caused him some form of pain. There was a part of her that wanted to hear him scream. Gone was any affection she had for him; for that little boy who came up to her on a playground and wanted to be her friend. It had all been a lie and anything they may have shared once upon a time was gone.

“You have, many times in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Worst memories of my life.” She hissed out. Her blue eyes flickered onto his and held his gaze. She gave him a smile, a twisted one that showed just how little she scared him. “Do it. Do it Stefan. Kill me. I know you want too.” Stefan’s squeezed just a tiny bit harder and she could see the anger in his eyes. “I’ll tell you about it. Do you want to hear? How he fucked me? How I had the son of Satan on his knees licking my cunt? The way his tongue curled against my clit. That’s it, harder. Press harder!”

_Caroline, please. Stop._

It wasn’t her thoughts that rang through her mind loud and clear. Klaus’s voice held a desperation that she had never thought possible. There was a broken hint to it that made Caroline freeze. If she died now, she would be with Klaus for eternity even if the sacrifice went through. Klaus’s end of the deal he had made with Cami was complete, her soul was saved from Mikael even if the coven did not realize it. But Klaus wanted her to live. He wanted her to travel, see the world and experience a human life before joining him when she had enough time.

It was not for herself that made her reach up to Stefan’s face. It was not her desire to plunge her fingers into Stefan’s eyes nor the satisfaction she felt at his screams. It was all for Klaus in that moment. Caroline chose to live and fight because Klaus wanted her to survive. It was not her will but his. She only hoped that Klaus found a way through the coven’s barrier.

Stefan dropped to the floor, screaming in agony as blood flooded out of his eyes as though he was crying red tears. His knees hit the wood floor, but Caroline did not pause to look at him. She bolted from the living her, Stefan’s handprints slowly fading on her neck, the mark healing any superficial wounds upon her body.

She ran to the front door again, Stefan’s screams of pain and words echoing in her ear, a spell to heal himself she assumed. Caroline turned to look on her left and a hooded figure was slowly walking towards her, his face covered, and hands folded in front of him. She backed away, knowing that she could take him down if he got to close, but she didn’t want to if it was avoidable. Death no longer scared her, but she had never killed someone and that was a line she did not think she would be able to cross, but the night was still young. She turned away and rushed down the other hallway, seeing Stefan stand to his feet, his shirt stained in blood.

The Shadows followed her, weaving along the wooden paneling of the walls. She gripped the pillar with her hand, swinging herself around to flee up the stairs, tripping slightly over the blood red rug that lined each step. The Shadows snickered gleefully at her clumsiness. She pushed herself back up and kept running. Caroline looked over the balcony that gazed down into the living room that she had just ran from.

Stefan was nowhere in sight.

In his place were at least six coven members, all in black robes with hoods masking their faces. Klaus’s rage pounded against the Boarding House again, yet none of the coven members moved as the foundation shook. The Shadows laughed at their game, finding Klaus’s wrath humorous. Their whispers burrowing in Caroline’s ear, nesting in a way that made her hear nothing but screeching. At least, until the coven members began to chant below.

_“Venit tempus adpropinquavit.”_ Their voices were mingled and terrifying. It held such unison that Caroline could feel the magic prickling at her skin. The hairs stood up on her arm and she gazed down at them, terrified at what would happen if she looked away. A realization came that no matter what happened, there was a chance Caroline was not going to make it out alive. This would be the night she died. The question became, who would she spend eternity with? Klaus? Or Mikael? Klaus ensured her that his mark was enough to keep her soul from eternal damnation but part of her felt doubt in those words. The coven had kept Klaus out thus far, who was to say they had not found another loophole. “ _Venit tempus adpropinquavit. Sacrificia sua.”_

_“The time has come little one. Time to play.”_ The Shadows gave a cheery voice, one that made Caroline think of small children on a playground, laughing and enjoying the sun as they played on a swing set or merry-go-round. For a moment, she thought of Henrik and his love for the innocent. The Shadows were born out of dark magic, the dark children of pure evil. They knew no better because they were no better. As though they knew her thoughts were upon them, Caroline felt her left arm go cold. She looked down and a Shadow, one that was so small, and dainty was gracing her arm the way a ballerina danced upon a stage. She flung her arm forward, hoping to toss it from her person as she would a spider, but it only laughed, a terrifying happy chuckle.

“There is no wait out Caroline. I would stop trying if I were you.” Stefan’s voice came from the stairwell, his footsteps causing the creeks in the floorboard to sound. Caroline pulled herself from her stupor and turned, running down the hallway, putting as much distance between herself and Stefan as possible.

The hallways were darkly lit, only a few lamps that hung on the wall had a soft glow cascading from them. There were doors lining the walls, each being the access to one of the many bedrooms the Boarding House had. As she approached, one by one they each began to open. In the archway separating the hall from the room was a coven member; some big some small and all had their faces masked from view. None of them moved from the archway, each just standing there, watching her flee as though her attempts at escape meant nothing at all.

Caroline kept running. She was stubborn and she would find a way out of this, one way or another. She was not going to fall prey to this cult. She was not going to let them beat her. Klaus’s fury raged again, and she thought she heard something crash just outside the Boarding House walls causing it to shake more violently than before; like a tree collapsing upon the roof. Caroline pushed forward, racing towards the door just at the end up the hall; a flash of red echoing in the back of her mind and Cami’s smiling face lingering in her thoughts.

She reached the door, grabbing the brass knob and ripped it open. She rushed inside and slammed the door behind her, resting her back against the wood. She took a deep breath and listened to the sound of her beating heart and could hear what sounded like a furious rainstorm hitting the glass windows.

Klaus’s rage was unperilled.

Caroline glanced around bedroom. The room was massive with hardwood floors, large windows and an archway that lead into a bathroom that Caroline had always been jealous of. A mirror was propped up against the wall and a large four-poster bed was beside it. Caroline saw it in the reflection of the mirror first. She had hoped to find Klaus, gazing out from it, offering his hand and a way that would lead her to safety, but he was not there. Klaus was just outside the Boarding House, raging war against a spell that was designed to keep him out. Instead she found the sleeping face of her best friend.

“Elena!” Caroline cried and raced to the bed. Elena was sound asleep, her brown hair spread across the white pillows. Her eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell steadily, telling Caroline that her friend was very much alive, if just not awake. Caroline grabbed Elena by the shoulders and shook her, but her friend did not wake up. “Come on Elena. Wake up. We need to get out of here. Elena!”

“She isn’t going to wake up Care.” Stefan’s voice sounded from behind her, causing Caroline to turn around quickly. Stefan stood in the doorway of his brother’s room gazing at her with an almost board expression. There was dried blood on his shirt and stained on the side of his face. However, his eyes seemed to be perfectly intact, healed by whatever spell it was he had cast in order to reverse the damage she had done. “She will be fine. Just in a deep sleep. Damon was worried about her. She was freaking out over where you had wondered off to so Damon asked if I had anything on me to would calm her. Apparently, Elena has been a little stressed lately, so I gave her a slight sedative. By the time she wakes up, this will all be over.”

“So, you just drug your sister-in-law? That is not going to win you brother of the year award.” Caroline snapped, backing around the bed, her eyes glued to Stefan, unsure of what he was going to do. As though they were dancing, Stefan stepped forward as she stepped back. Over Stefan’s shoulder, Caroline could see several of the other coven members in the hall. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for a way out. “Damon is not going to be happy when he figures out what you’ve done.”

“Damon will come around. Granted I had thought he would have come back into the fold by now but, well, it’s only a matter of time.” Stefan shrugged, taking one step forward and Caroline another backwards. “Damon is my brother. I’m not about to kill the woman he loves. Besides,” Stefan paused and looked down at the sleeping face of Elena, “Elena will one day bring forth a new generation of Salvatores. Children that will be welcome into the fold.”

“I high doubt that Elena is going to ship her kids off to a cult with their bat-ship crazy uncle.” Caroline snapped, her eyes flickering to her friend again. Stefan took two steps forward this time, continuing the dance. Caroline’s gaze flickered to the side, a pair of French doors were closed to her left. Rain was sprinkled against the glass and the wind flowed harshly outside, echoing Klaus’s anger.

She knew that the spell kept her inside and Klaus out, but she sprinted towards the door anyway, wondering if she could get to the balcony, perhaps it would be a loophole. Stefan did not move. When Caroline reached the double doors, she felt herself being thrown backwards and hit the back wall. She let out a loud groan, feeling the pain in her back as she fell to the ground. She didn’t feel any of her bones crack or break but there was a dull thumping pain where she had hit the wall.

_“Veni.”_ Stefan stated, raising his hand and flickered his fingers. Caroline felt herself sliding across the hardwood floor, her nails digging into the wood, leaving long scratch marks that would be hard to explain if Elena ever noticed them. She fought and kicked but no amount of fight could stop her from sailing across the ground. When she arrived at Stefan’s feet, he reached down and pulled her to her feet and pushed her up against the wall. He placed his hands on each side of her head. “Where did you go tonight?”

“Fuck you.”

“You went to see him, didn’t you?”

“You’re not my boyfriend anymore. So, what I do is none of your concern.” Caroline snapped, her eyes narrowed, and her fists balled. She wanted to dig her thumbs into his eyeballs again, but he had already proven that he was prepared to heal himself. She refrained, gazing at the eyes that had once belonged to her best friend. “How did I not see it? For years you were my best friend. We were in a relationship for three years. I did I not see this side of you? The side that has been planning my death since the beginning?”

“The coven wanted you in the dark. So, I kept that part of myself away from you. Never practiced magic in the house. Never spoke of it to you.” Stefan reached up, pushed a strand of blonde hair from her face. “I did love you. I really did. I entered a relationship because I wanted to be with you, not because of the coven and I knew that one day we would end up in the garden together. You and me. Forever.”

“You didn’t love me Stefan. If you did, you wouldn’t be leading me to die.” Caroline hissed, scowling at him. “If I believe anything you just said. You became my friend because you were told to. You held my hand as my father died, because you were told to. You fell in my bed because you were told to.” Caroline’s hands balled into fists; itching hit him. “You’ve never had an individual thought of your own or been your own person. Damon may be an asshole but at least he can think for himself. It clearly makes him the better man than you.”

“Caroline. Don’t.”

“That’s it isn’t. Damon?” Stefan’s jaw clenched and anger sparked behind his sage eyes. She knew him well enough that being compared to Damon was a sore spot. She had listened to him complain about it long enough over the years. It never made sense to her what it was that made him so angry about his brother. She knew Damon was a dick and for a moment, she had thought that maybe her friend just did not like how he had treated her when they dated. “It’s because he left, isn’t it? He gave up everything that your family worked for. Leaving Italy, getting close to me, your mother’s suicide. All of it was for nothing when he walked away.”

“Damon was a fool.” Stefan snapped; his voice gone hallow as old wound was opened up. “Uncle Zach came to ensure that everything was smoothed over after mother gave her life for the coven. For you. It was all to protect you and the moment she died, Damon breaks up with you and walks away. So, I ensured that you stayed close. Uncle Zach did what he could to convince Damon to come back, but he refused. The coven considered ending him, but we refrained. Much like your aunt, we watched him. Kept him close.”

“I thought you said that you didn’t get involved with me because of the coven.” Caroline replied, pointing out Stefan’s contradictory statements but it was like Stefan didn’t hear her. The wind grew harder and harder, Klaus’s anger still raging as he tried to find a way inside the Boarding House. The mark on her shoulder burned but she refused to look away from Stefan. “I don’t even think that you hear what you’re saying.”

“Stop talking.” Stefan snapped, his voice going completely cold. “You know nothing you speak of. The mark you bear of the bastard. It won’t last. The Shadows will have it removed and your soul will be handed to Mikael, as intended.” Stefan shock his head. “We could have had everything in the garden Caroline. However, now? I don’t know about what he will do to you.”

“He’ll turn me to stone. Just he did Esther.”

“You have been educated.” Stefan stated, cocking his head. “ _Esther and the bastard_ , bedtime stories that mother told Damon and I when we were children. She would describe the garden and how we all would be together forever. A paradise and a gift from Mikael. In exchange, all we had to do was worship him. An easy exchange really.”

“I’ve been to the garden Stefan.” Caroline whispered. “It’s not what you think. It’s not rainbows nor is it a gift.” She searched his face, hoping to find a sense of her old friend. Yet, the man who was glaring back at her was not the friend she once knew. That Stefan was gone, if he had been real at all. “He turns them all to stone. So even if we end up spending eternity together, we will be nothing more than statues.”

“We will see.” Stefan replied, not believing anything she had to say. He leaned down, pressing his face so close to hers. He gripped her shoulders tightly and he crushed his lips to her. Caroline’s eyes opened wide, shock pouring through her. Her body felt as though she was one fire but not from arousal. It felt as though her body was rebelling from Stefan’s kiss. She went to push Stefan across the room but then she felt heavy and limp. Her knees were growing weak and she felt them give out. Her vision grew hazy as Stefan pulled away. “Everything will be okay, Caroline. You’ll see.”

Her body went lip and her knees gave out. She could feel Stefan catching her and lifting up into his arms. Her eyes blinked as she sat the blurry silhouettes of the coven members came into view as he carried her down the hall. Caroline moaned, trying to move but Stefan soothed her; whispering that everything would be okay. She slept for a moment, only waking to feel herself being laid on the cold and dirty ground; chains being linked around her wrist and a woman’s voice chanting words she could not understand. Then everything went dark.

It was the smell of musty mildew and dirt that Caroline noticed when her senses were coming back to her. She blinked her eyes open and she turned her head, the kink in her neck making her groan. She tried to move her body and the sound of chains reached her ears. She yanked her arms, but she noticed that they were held down. She blinked again and tiled her head upward, seeing the chain attached to the wall. She yanked but her body still felt weak, her strength weakened but she could feel Klaus’s mark lingering in her bones.

“Miss Caroline?” A small voice pulled her from her thoughts. Caroline turned head and looked around the dank and cold room. She realized that she was chained in one of the cellars in the basement of the Boarding House. She was covered in dirt and glanced down her body to see that she had been changed from her jeans and sweater to a white dress, one that was almost identical to the one her mother had been wearing on the night she was murdered. “Miss Caroline?”

The small sounded again and Caroline squinted to see a small figured curled up in the corner. Caroline heart stopped and the fear caught in her throat. In the distant she could still hear Klaus howling in anger and his rage pulsing through the bond; but the sight in front of her took her mind off of everything else.

Monique Deveraux was chained to the cellar wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliff hanger.   
> I know. I'm evil.  
> Thoughts. Guess.
> 
> Anyone think that Stefan was involved in this crazy pants scheme???? 
> 
> Also, I will be updating again this week. I legit just have the epilogue to write-its started just not finished. So, you will not have to wait long for an update.


	20. Of Rituals and Sacrifices

Caroline could still feel the mark bleeding on her shoulder, the stickiness of the blood mixing with the dirt of the cellar floor. She could feel the bond with Klaus trying to weed Mikael’s mark completely out of her body, and it _burned._ The longer she laid on that dirty floor, the more painful it became. It felt as though a burning knife was cutting her open in order to remove that part of herself. She never realized how long Mikael’s mark had lingered in her blood and she wanted nothing more than to have it out of her. If it meant that her entire being should be set aflame then she would gladly allow it to burn.

Sweat covered her skin and she almost felt delirious, as though a fever was raging war in her body. Parts of her were attacking the other and Caroline couldn’t focus on the room around her. She moved her legs, kicking the dirt around her feet and listened the howling Klaus’s storm outside. His wrath was pulsing in the back of her mind like a never-ending migraine. It prickled her fear, telling her exactly what was happening. The coven has come to collect their payment, a currency that was Caroline’s soul.

_It’s not enough time. I need more time._ Klaus pleaded in her mind, the plea from a powerful being who for the first time was facing an obstacle that he could not overcome. The foundation shook again, causing the chains to rattle beside her. She tiled her head to the side, pressing her cheek to the ground, gazing at where the chains were fascinated the wall. Her sight was blurry, a mixture of the fever and the darkness of the room

“I’m scared.” Monique’s voice cried from the corner and Caroline could hear the quivering in her voice. The anger that pulsed through her was not Klaus’s but her own. She was not angry that she was chained down, despite Klaus’s fury at it. Caroline was angry because of that little girl who did not ask to be brought into such madness. She remembered the fear the night she was in the basement, watching as her mother died. Yet, Liz was never chained down. Caroline supposed that luxury was reserved for those who went willingly to their death. “I don’t want to be here, but mommy said I had to wait here and that she would be back to get me, but the Shadows keep talking to me and I just want them stop!”

“I know.” Caroline whispered soothingly, trying hard not to think of the night Liz had died. Yet, it was hard to not to compare the situations. Her mother laying on the cold floor as Sheila carved symbols into her skin before driving the knife through her heart. She knew that Monique would have her mother to comfort her…Caroline froze. A realization sinking into her bones and a moment of dread overcame her, she even felt Klaus’s fury halt but just for a moment. “Fuck. I’m idiot. The photo. That fucking photo.”

“Miss Caroline?”

“Monique, can you answer a question for me?” Caroline asked in the kindest voice she could muster in such circumstances. She saw the little girl nod her head, her brown curls bouncing ever so slightly at the movement. “Who brought you here? Did they say why?”

“It was mommy and Nana. They said that it was a special day and that I had something important to do.” Monique started crying then, her knees being pulled up to her chest and Caroline could almost feel the child’s tears slipping down her cheeks. The room became a tad bit brighter then but the scar on her shoulder still burned. “I don’t know what I’m to do. I don’t want to be here.”

“Monique, listen to me. Okay, I’m going to get you out of here. I just need you to stay calm. Can you do that for me?” Caroline soothed and Monique nodded. Suddenly, Caroline no longer cared about herself. She no longer cared if she lived the decades Klaus wanted for her, for she had accepted her own death in time, even though she knew Klaus had not. She thought on her mother and the life she had led. On Cami and the sacrifices, she had made. Even Bonnie’s mother, gathering everything she loved and running as far as she could to protect her own daughter. 

And yet, Sophie held out her hand to her daughter, leading her into the slaughter.

There were four women in that photo, but Caroline had been so focused on finding Sheila Bennett’s family, that she forgot that Jane-Ann had once been close with both her mother and Cami. The sight of Monique here and the memories that the little girl had been speaking to the Shadows should have told her from the very beginning not to trust them, but from the moment she stepped out of New Orleans, she put Monique, Sophie and Jane-Anne out of her mind.

Caroline tried to pull on the chains again, yanking them from the wall, but they were not budging. She could feel that her strength was not at her full compacity, cursing at Stefan for whatever he had poisoned her with when he leaned down to kiss her. The marks were still tearing at each other, Mikael’s slowly bleeding out while the rest of Caroline’s body tried to heal from Stefan’s kiss.

It was no wonder why she had a fever.

“They are not going to come loose. So, I would stop trying.” A voice sounded from the doorway and Caroline turned to see a hooded figure standing there with something over his shoulder; a body resting limply. She could not make out the face that belonged to the figure, but she knew it didn’t belong to Stefan. He stepped into the cell that Caroline was chained in and laid the body down upon the ground not far from where Caroline was laying. She looked over to see the chocolate curls spread out onto the ground and her eyes shut as though she was sleeping.

“Bonnie!” Caroline cried, trying to yank on the chain again but nothing happened. Harder and harder she yanked, and she could hear a slight crunch in the wall as thought the chains were coming loose. Caroline had to withhold a small smile; she could feel the strength from her mark slowly coming back to her. She narrowed her eyes at the man, trying to make out his appearance. “Is she okay?”

“Bonnie? Yes. Pity that she didn’t just give me the book. It would have been easier. I’ve been trying for years to take it from her. Became quite fond of her if I have to admit it.” The man reached up and pulled the hood down and Caroline got a clear view of his face. It was a boyish face, angular and sharp with soft grey eyes. Caroline’s heart froze as she studied him, forgetting all about him in the chaos that erupted in her life. “It’s good to see you again, Caroline.”

“Kai.” She gave a humorless laugh. “I have to admit that your face is quite forgettable. It is no wonder Bonnie kept shooting you down when you tried to get into her pants.” Kai’s eyes narrowed at her, and she could see the hurt flash behind them. “If you really cared about her, you wouldn’t have hurt her life this. You would have taken the stupid book and left. The fact that she is unconscious, tells me you care nothing beyond being a sheep on Mikael’s coattails.”

Kai moved over to her, gripping her neck and giving it a tight squeeze; his anger clearly on display. Bonnie was a trigger for Kai and in the back of Caroline’s mind she wondered if it would be enough for Kai to kill her; end this before it had even begun. She heard that familiar hiss tingling in the back of her mind, Klaus pleading for her to stop the notion of her death. The wind and fury raged on, another scream from her own personal demon echoing throughout the Boarding House. Monique crying in the corner at the sound, pressing her hands to her ears and rocking back and forth.

“The bastard is quite the angry demon. Doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead by the time he makes his way inside and far out of his reach.” Kai muttered, pressing his hand tighter against her throat; his nails digging into her neck. “You know nothing about Bonnie and me. So, stop trying. She is one of us, even if she is being stubborn. She’ll come around.”

“I doubt that. Bonnie didn’t seem too keen on black magic.”

“And it is so strange that her grandmother’s book is bound to her.” Kai spat, grinding his teeth in annoyance. Caroline could see that the book was a nuisance to Kai, and she wondered how long it took him to worm his way into Bonnie’s life; building enough trust him to help run her store or to even bring him along to Caroline’s house. “Sheila was a nasty piece of work. Never met her myself but the stories I’ve heard. Well, they make your boyfriend look like a girl scout and he murdered at least three people in the last few weeks for the coven. Not to mention poisoning your father all those years ago. He was getting in the way. Looking into ways to break Mikael’s mark.”

“Fuck you.” Caroline shot back, trying to push down the news that it was Stefan was the reason her father died. Kai chuckled, realizing that he hit a nerve with Caroline. The smile on his lips almost making him look as though he had an ounce of sanity in him. “Doesn’t explain why you dragged Bonnie here. If cared about her at all, you would have just stolen the book and ran. Leaving her out it completely.”

“That’s the problem. I couldn’t. I tried but no matter how many times I stole it, it would find itself right back into Bonnie’s possession. Over and over again, that book would be where she is.” Kai scowled. “Sheila wanted her granddaughter in the coven so badly that she bounded the one book we need for the sacrifice to her, hoping that it would draw her in but as you know, Bonnie is stubborn and wants nothing to do with black magic. So, to get the book here, she needs to be here.”

“Well, that should be a big neon sign telling you just how much Bonnie is not into you.” Caroline snapped and a flash of irritation crossed Kai’s face again. His hand squeezed tighter around her neck. His grip was not as hard as Stefan’s had been but if he applied just a bit more pressure, then maybe it would be enough to get the job done. “You know, if you have to know a girl unconscious in order to get her to come with you, that really is not considered consent.”

“Kai. Let her go.” A female voice sounded from the doorway and Caroline could feel his hands loosen around her neck. They both turned to look at the doorway and she saw a woman that she did not recognize. She had curly blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin. Her arms were cross over her chest and her eyes narrowed.

“Liv-“

“No Kai. You can work on getting back into Bonnie’s good graces later. Right now, we need Caroline alive.” Liv retorted and Caroline felt Kai’s hands leave her throat completely, the pain from his attempt at strangling her lingered only for a moment before Klaus’s mark healed the forming bruises instantly. Kai was more focused on his sister standing in the doorway than the fading read handprints on Caroline’s throat. “Jane-Ann is reviewing the book and will be down soon. It’s almost time.”

Kai stood and walked over to Liv. Caroline turned her head to look at the chains again, pulling at them and ever so slightly she could see them coming looser. Whatever magic they had had placed upon the chains was not strong enough to withhold the completion of the mark. She had to withhold her smirk, knowing that if she drew attention to the fact that she was pulling at the chains, then it could ruin any chance of getting herself and Monique out of that dark cell. Another loud thump hit against the side of the Boarding House, causing some dust to fall from the ceiling.

“Mommy!” Caroline turned her head to see Sophie enter the cell and look around. Monique started crying, the sound piercing through Caroline, bringing her back to the basement of her childhood home in New Orleans. Perhaps it was because she knew what was going to happen to her that made Caroline so terrified, a mark burned on her shoulder to ensure that she was next in line to die. “I’m scared!”

“I know baby.” Sophie soothed, walking over to her daughter. She knelt down and reached out to touch her curls, Monique folding herself into her mother’s arms. Through the darkness, Caroline could see the soft and concerned look on Sophie’s face; as though she truly loved her daughter. It took everything Caroline had in her not to laugh out of irony. How would Monique feel the day that she is chained down in a dirty cell, moments away from death? She wondered if she would still cling to her mother then. “I just need you to be strong for a little while, okay? Soon everything will be over, and we can go home.”

“Don’t leave me! Please!”

“I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” For a moment, Caroline had thought it was her own mother’s voice speaking back to her. The devotion lingering behind Sophie’s words cut deep within Caroline’s soul. Then she remembered the conversation she had with Liz in Mikael’s domain; the memory of her mother turning to stone and crumbling before her. A wave of fresh anger coursed through her and she pulled at the chains again, causing them to come just a bit looser.

“They are not going to break. I spelled them myself.” Liv muttered from beside her. Caroline turned to look at the young woman she had never met before. Her eyes narrowed, watching as she pulled out a piece of chalk. Liv began writing symbols on the dirt floor, symbols that Caroline recognized belonging to Mikael. Caroline watched as Liv drew more and more markings, making her way around Caroline’s body.

A soft moan came from beside her and she turned to see Bonnie groaning, bringing her hand to her head. Kai moved to kneel down beside her, pushing a few strands of her chocolate brown locks out of her face. The motion was tender, almost mirrored the kindness Sophie had shown her daughter. A warped version of love that Caroline could not process. Klaus, the very demon who was causing a massive storm outside the Boarding House walls showed more genuine love than the those in the cell with her.

“Where’s Lucas?”

“Upstairs. He is staying with the rest to greet Mikael when he arrives.” Liv replied, looking at her older brother, a wide smile on her lips. She appeared happy and excited at the prospect of Mikael rising. It was some twisted joy that paralleled the videos of soldiers coming home from war and seeing their family for the first time in years. Bile rose in Caroline’s throat at thought. “What do you think he will be like? Jane-Anne says he is handsome. She was there the last time he rose.”

“You mean the day she helped murder my mother?” Caroline cut in and the wicca turned to glare at her, the happy gaze she had been wearing slipped from her face. It was replaced by one of anger and fury. “I’ve met Mikael. I’ve been to the garden. It is no paradise. You want to know what he does to his followers there? He plays with them, toys with them as though they are nothing more than a sick version of entertainment. Chasing them through the flowers and cool breezes. But he grows bored and eventually he turns them to stone. Leaving them to crumble into nothing more than dust.”

“You’re lying.” Sophie hissed from the corner. Caroline’s eyes shifted to the other coven member, the look of affection shifting into that of anger. Gone was the love she had felt for the little girl in her arms and replaced with nothing but pure hatred for Caroline. It made her wonder why she had never seen it before. How it had lingered in those lines of her face. Yet, Caroline could reason that she wasn’t looking for it then.

“Am I?” Caroline asked, turning her gaze back to the woman in front of her, noting how the chalk was crumbled in Liv’s hand in anger; the symbols not fully completed. “You just don’t want to see the truth. Mikael is nothing more than a demon who met his betters. Who is to say he will even show? He has missed sacrifices before. When they don’t interest him? Who is to say that this would be any different?”

“You bitch.” Caroline felt a hand strike across her face from her side and the blood pool in her mouth. She turned to gaze up at Kai, who was had moved from the unconscious body of her friend to strike at Caroline. The moment his fist connected with her face; another roar rose from the elements, Klaus’s anger shaking the foundation once again.

“Enough.” A voice that sent chills down Caroline’s spine came from the doorway. There was something eerie about it. An inhuman muttering that hung in the air like poisonous gas, there to choke them all. Her eyes flickered to the imposing figure and saw that they were still cloaked, their face hidden from view. A leather-bound book was in their tight grasp. Memories of the black book that held an essence that made Caroline’s bone quake came to mind. Even from across the room, she could feel the evil pouring out of it. The figure stepped forward and Caroline knew who they were.

The high priestess had finally come to greet her sacrifice.

The priestess lowered her hood, revealing a pale face with dark eyes. Her hair was a jet-black color, curls lingering just below her shoulders. It was a face that Caroline had only gazed upon fleetingly. She wished that she had studied that photograph more carefully, instead of focusing on finding Sheila Bennett. She should have known that she was gazing at Sheila’s successor in that very image.

“Hello Jane-Anne.” Caroline bit out, glaring at the woman with narrowed eyes. She had not seen her since Cami’s funeral and even then, they did not speak much; instead allowing her daughter to take the reins of intergrading themselves while she was in New Orleans. Caroline wanted to hate herself for not seeing it before. She wanted to take the time back and zero in on the woman, but it was far too late for that.

“Caroline. It is a pleasure to see you again.” Jane-Anne smiled and walked towards her, every step causing the room to grow colder. Caroline’s eyes moved away from her to see dozens of Shadows gracefully dance across the dirty cell, almost covering every inch of the muddy walls. She could hear their whispers and never before had she heard them so happy; the tone sounding like small children on Christmas morning.

_“The time has come. With her death, master will rise again. Master is almost here.”_ The Shadows cried out in glee, sending cold chills down her spine. Several moved down to the floor, moving in a pattern that was reminiscent of the mark burned onto her shoulder; much like they had done to the chalk drawing Monique had created on her driveway in the front of her home. _“It’s time to play!”_

“This will hurt but only for a moment. We must undo what you’ve done.” Jane-Anne soothed, reaching down to run her fingers through Caroline’s hair in a soft gesture. In the back of her mind, Caroline wondered if this was something her own mother would have done or if Jane-Anne would be so comforting Sophie, if it was her own daughter in such a position. “I remember the day you were born. Liz was so happy. She loved you very much.”

“I need you answer me something.” Caroline stated, her eyes watching as the Shadows inched closer and closer to her. It was her left foot that went cold first, a Shadow groping it until the entire to of her foot was nothing but black. The right food was soon to follow, and Caroline’s entire body felt as though she was dunked into an ice bath, feeling a cold that she had never experienced before; an eternal winter that had come to roast. “My aunt. She would have never let you near me if she had known you had taken Sheila’s place. You were not friends. Were you?”

“No. We had a falling out after she left the coven, but she wasn’t there the night Liz died. The coven sensed her doubts and did not want anything interfering with the sacrifice. She wasn’t there to greet Mikael. She didn’t see him like I did. He was beautiful, rising out the blood we took from your mother. She just didn’t understand. Her sister was honored just like you will be. Just like my granddaughter will be. She didn’t understand that this is a blessing. You are being given a gift. I wish you could see that.”

“You lied to me. You came to her funeral and you lied to me.” Caroline bit out but her voice was consumed by the dark figure that slithered into her mouth and down her throat. Her eyes went dark as they were overcome with the Shadows. Never before had she felt so cold. Her entire being was being frozen and she could feel her heart slowing, the blood unable pump through her veins due to her body slowly falling into a cold coma. The mark on her shoulder burned in contrast as though something was searing it onto her skin for the first time.

Yet, the worst pain was the felling of something being torn from her chest. It was not her heart but something far deeper. The Shadows were mingling with her soul, trying to tear it into shreds and removing the part of Klaus that lingered there. It was agony that Caroline had never experienced, and she could not even scream. She tried but the Shadows filled her throat until she was choking on them. She could hear Klaus fury screaming in her mind, but the words blurred together. Nothing mattered but the pain of her very essence being shattered into a thousand pieces.

_“It’s stuck. It can’t be moved. The mark has been completed. Master! We must find Master!”_ The Shadows whispered to one another and in an instant, Caroline felt warmth again. The Shadows fled from her body, expelling themselves with such force that she felt as though she was going to vomit. She coughed and choked, only being able to open her eyes enough to see the Shadows fleeing from her as though they were fleeing from Klaus himself. The cell grew brighter as they left them alone, returning to the depths of the garden that they had come from.

“What happened? I thought it would take longer?” Sophie asked in a curious tone, none of them hearing what the Shadows had whispered inside her head. Caroline turned her head and blinked, seeing how Monique cowered into her mother’s side; Sophie’s fingers running through her daughter’s dark curls as Jane-Anne had done just moments before to Caroline. Klaus’s storm raged again, knocking against the side of house. His fury growing hotter with every second. She could hear him clearly in her mind; his voice shouting orders at the other demons, his siblings, trying to find a way to break the coven’s spell.

“I don’t know. But we move on.” Jane-Anne stated with a finality in her tone. There was a groan from beside her and Caroline turned to see Bonnie’s fingers pressed against her temple, yet none of the members seemed to notice; not even Kai. “Liv, I need you to baptize the knife and then hand it to me, please?”

Caroline did not watch what the younger wicca was doing but instead focused on Jane-Anne and the leather-bound book she opened. She heled her hand open above it and the pages flipped themselves, stopping just about halfway through. In the darkness, Caroline could see that the pages were stained with blood. The ink was dark that it almost appeared fresh; forever engrained onto the page and never to be smudged. Caroline felt more evil steam from those pages than she ever had during her time in Hell. That book was bound by flesh, blood and magic that could only be found in the darkest parts of a twisted and mutilated soul.

Liv handed Jane-Anne the knife, droplets of something black falling from the tip of the blade. The high priestess gripped the handle while Liv held out her hand to her brother. Kai linked their fingers together, standing over Caroline’s body. Sophie kissed the top of Monique’s head and stood, walking over to the siblings. She stood directly beside Caroline’s head and held both Kai’s and Liv’s hands. Their voices mingled into one as they began to chant.

_“Magister, obsecro vos.”_ Both Caroline and Jane-Anne listened to the three begin and Caroline wondered if she remembered this from when her mother had died. She remembers Sheila and her mother telling her that she loved her but never others in the room. She thought hard and for a moment, there was a flicker to hands holding her down just as the blade went through Liz’s heart. Caroline looked Monique and understood.

Sophie was going to brand her own daughter with the mark Caroline current bore.

_“Off servi tui donum tibi.”_ Jane-Anne’s voice spoke clearly through the chants of the others. She pressed her lips to the blade before pressing the tip against Caroline’s arm. Caroline hissed as the sharp cut burned. Klaus roared again, shaking the walls, the chains above her rattled with the force. Her hands curled around the edges of the chains, gripping out of pain and determination that she was not going to die in a sacrifice to Mikael. She was not her mother. “ _Sanguis denarium as oblacionem. Ad orir cruor. Sanguis vester servus.”_

The knife dug deeper and deeper into her skin. Jane-Anne carved symbol after symbol into her; writing a dead language in blood as a prayer to Mikael. She could feel the words burning into her very being but only for a moment. The magic lingered in her blood but then her body felt as though it was on fire, fighting a virus that was infecting her very soul. The sharp pain from the knife healed and the blood dried against her body.

“It’s not working. Why is it not working?” Jane-Anne whispered, staring down at Caroline’s bound arms. She placed the tip of the knife onto her skin again, cutting deeper into her flesh than before. Caroline could feel the pain from the cut, but it only lasted a moment. Within seconds the wound began to heal itself. Klaus’s mark was growing stronger, bubbling beneath her skin. Caroline could not help but laugh at the distraught look upon the priestess’s face. “You did something. You’re the reason it is not working. What did you do!?” Caroline continued to laugh, not caring about how the pain the back of her throat that still lingered. “Answer me!”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Caroline’s voice was hoarse and tired, sounding as though she had been screaming for hours. She continued to laugh, even when Jane-Anne struck her across the face, leaving a bruise that faded from red to purple until there was no mark on her skin at all. Caroline laughed harder, finding that her voice was growing stronger. “I fucked Klaus. Twice. I completed mark. Even if you kill me, I win.”

“No! You can’t have! We had you watched!” Jane-Anne cried out in anger as Caroline gripped the chains tightly, pulling them with every ounce of strength she had, causing them to burst from the wall. Before the coven members could move, Caroline gripped Jane-Anne’s head and yanked it to the side; a deafening crack filling the room. Sophie screamed out in agony and fury as Caroline leaped from her ground, swinging the chains that still rested on her wrists forward. The end of the chain that had bolts from the wall hanging from it smashed across Sophie’s temple.

Sophie’s head turned with the force, blood seeping from her hairline, the chains rattling with a deafening crack as it hit her face. Her body collided with Liv’s, whose head banged off the side of the doorway. Neither Sophie nor Liv moved but soft groans could be heard from each of them. Kai lunged forward but Caroline pushed him backwards, causing him to hit the wall with a dangerous thud.

Caroline ran over to where Monique was still chained. The young girl was screaming and crying; Caroline could feel the fear radiating off her in waves. It was more than just seeing her fear, the little girl’s terror sunk deep into very soul. She reached out and cupped her face, vowing to keep her safe and take her away from this bleak future that was set out for her. Caroline reached over and bent the iron that bound each of the tiny wrists. She pulled the cuffs from Monique’s wrist and then did the same for her own.

“Miss Caroline. I’m scared.” Monique cried, dirty tears staining her cheeks. Her dark eyes grew wide with terror and she pushed herself back into the corner, curling her legs into herself. She screamed again and pointed to something behind Caroline. Caroline stood to her feet quickly to see Kai hovering over them. He was faster than Caroline and gripped her by her throat; slamming her back against the cell wall, Monique screaming for someone to help them. He raised the baptized blade that Jane-Anne had used, a look of determination plastered onto his face; a determination to see the ritual through at any cost.

_“Prohibere!”_

Before Kai could plunge the knife forward, he was flung from her with an invisible force. His body twisted and contorted in a way that was not humanly possible. His bones broke and the snapping of his spine was nauseatingly loud. As Kai’s body dropped to the ground, Bonnie stood on weakened feet. She looked at the scene around her and Kai’s dead body laying limp on the dirty floor, a look of betrayal written on her face.

“Are you okay?” Caroline asked her softly and she nodded, still gazing at Kai- a fury that Caroline could feel from across the room. There was another roar of pure hatred from outside the Boarding House again; Klaus slamming onto its side before a deafening silence followed. It was muted but Caroline could feel the pride he held for what she had done. “The rest will soon realize that something is wrong. The lack of screaming will tip them off, so we need to go.” The resolve in her tone was final.

Caroline turned and bent down, pulling Monique into the arms. The little girl wrapped her arms around Caroline’s shoulders and her legs around her waist; burying her face into the crock of her neck. She could feel the tears seeping down her shoulder as she stepped over the bodies of the coven members; both Liv and Sophie groaning from their spots. Caroline could feel the pain on her hairline as she passed, the pain leaving her the farther they moved away from them.

The mark was growing stronger.

“Wait.” Caroline paused, stopping Bonnie from passing her. Seconds later, a cloaked coven member appeared and before they noticed the pair of them, Caroline gripped the side of their head, smashing against the side of a shelf that hung on the wall; the shelf breaking with the collision. “Here, take her and I’ll guide you out of here.”

“How did you- What did you do Caroline?” Bonnie began but Caroline did not give her the chance to answer. She passed Monique to her, the little girl still crying; her sobs where growing louder and louder. The closer they got, the more noticeable it would be. The pair shared a looked, knowing that they would be found if she continued to cry and scream in such a way. Monique’s fear was pulsing through her like a tidal wave and she knew that there was nothing that would stop her. Bonnie shifted her on her hip and pressed a finger to her forehead. “ _Somnum.”_

Monique’s eyes fluttered shut and her tears ceased, her body going limp in Bonnie’s arms. Bonnie looked at Caroline again, both fear and wonder surged through her veins. She could feel the question that was dancing upon Bonnie’s lips, but Caroline didn’t have time to explain everything; even if she knew that she would be able to put the pieces together on her own.

“I made a deal. That is all you need to know. Let’s go.” Caroline turned on her heels, knowing that Bonnie would follow her out. Climbing out of the cellars of the Boarding House was not going to be easy. While Caroline knew the house like the back of her hand, having played in its halls as a child, she knew it was brimming with coven members preparing for their master’s decent. She could hear them moving on every level of the home. Their whispers penetrating her ears; some senescing that something had gone wrong while others remained oblivious. As they climbed the stairs, another member tried to stop them, but Caroline gripped him by the throat, tossing him down the stairs. Bonnie pressing herself and Monique against the wall as the man fell; the sound of his body hitting the ground was deafening.

Caroline paused in the doorway on the landing, peering out into the hallway from behind the wooden door. There were at least six members in the hallway and Stefan was among them. She watched as he was conversing with a young man who looked similar to the young wiccan Liv that had been in the cell to participate in the sacrifice. Caroline felt a prickle in the back of her mind, and she smiled. 

_Klaus. Let them pass and get them far away from here._

“Caroline?” Bonnie’s timid and concerned voiced pulling her from the plea she was making. She turned to look at the young woman she had only met a few weeks prior. For a moment, Caroline wondered what it would have been like, to be a genuine friend with Bonnie but pushed the thought aside, not wanting to dwell on the impossible.

“Come here. When I tell you to run, I want you to run the door and do not look back. I’ll be right behind you. The further you go, the book will follow. Without the book and without Monique, they can’t complete the ritual.” Bonnie looked like she was going to protest but her face turned to the little girl in her arms and she nodded. Caroline could handle herself, but Monique was just a child. Caroline held out her arms and brought Bonnie into them and then Klaus slammed against the side of the house again with every ounce of strength he had. The coven members all tumbled down to the floor and Caroline yelled urgently at Bonnie. “ _Run._ ”

Bonnie bolted from Caroline’s arms, passing each of the coven members who were trying to climb to their feet. Caroline bent down and picked two of them up and tossed them effortlessly down the stairs as she had the others. She could feel Sophie and Liv trying to make their way from the cellar, but the bodies of the men Caroline tossed down knocked them further backwards. She kicked another in their stomach sending them flying down the hall,landing right in front of the stairwell that lead to the upstairs. Two others scrambled to their feel and ran from her while Stefan just laid on the ground, glaring at her and sending an emotion she simply could not place. 

Caroline stepped over him and went to the front door to see Bonnie standing just on the other side of it. The wind picked back up and the rain was pelting to the ground with such a force that was far too violent to be a normal storm. In the distance she could see Kol standing in the drive, the ran not touch him at all; he was as dry as the day she had met him in that New Orleans bar. He held out his hand and Caroline knew that he would keep them safe. Bonnie looked over her shoulder, fear rolling off her with a mixture of dread at the realization at what was going to happen.

“Bonnie, go. Keep her safe.” Caroline commanded, leaving no room for arguments. Bonnie nodded, tears pooling in her eyes and she gripped Monique tightly to her chest. She turned on her heels and Caroline watched the rain parted for her as she stepped off the landing and into the night. Caroline could see Bonnie hesitate, but she slipped her hand into Kol’s and then in a blink they were gone.

Caroline took a deep breath and outstretched her hand, feeling the invisible barrier that was separating her from Klaus. She knew that it would still be there, for she could feel the magic crawling through every surface of the house. This was more than just one spell by one wiccan that bound chains to a wall, this was magic from every coven member in every part of the world. Klaus’s frustration roared and she felt thunder roll overhead.

Slowly, she turned from the open door and walked slowly back into the living room, noticing that the spot Stefan had been laying in was empty. Her feet touched the hardwood floor, the coolness of it bracing against her skin. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see members of the coven lingering about but not a single one stepped near her. Their whispers echoed in her ears, only to be drowned out by Klaus’s never-ending storm.

Caroline walked towards the fireplace, an iron poker lingering just inside the gate as a small fire flickered. She could feel the heat off the flames, but they were nothing compared to Hell. She smiled, knowing that there was only one way out of this. Klaus hissed in her mind, a soft pleading and a whimper as though he was an animal dying. She pushed Klaus from her mind, unable to think on him. It would ruin her resolve.

_Caroline. Please._

A creak from behind her sounded and she could feel that emotion that evaded her earlier flood her veins again. She looked over her shoulder to see Stefan looking at her with an expression that she could not fathom. His lips were downturned, and his brow had an added wrinkle. She turned slowly around, his emotions drawing her in, the strength of her ever growing mark making itself known.

“Where is your brother?” Caroline asked him in a bored tone, not truly caring about Damon but thought it would be the best place to start. Damon never cared for her much and if she was honest, the feeling was mutual. The only reason they dealt with one another was due to Elena and their love for her.

Love.

“He is where I left him. Asleep on the floor upstairs. He will be fine.” Caroline did not answer him but instead she just focused on the face of the one who betrayed her. She thought on everything he had said prior to kissing her and leading her to that cellar. The jealousy that she had been with Klaus and his never-ending desire to be by her side in the weeks since she had ended their relationship. The waves that were coming off Stefan was something she had felt before but just not for him. Mentioning Damon’s name only made the emotions that Stefan was broadcasting stronger. “Do you honestly think I would kill my own brother?”

“I don’t know what you’re capable of.” Caroline whispered to the room, not caring that a few others were mulling about; inching closer. Stefan took a step forward and pulled out the knife that Jane-Ann had used to carve the symbols into her skin. He gazed down at that knife and Caroline knew why Jane-Anne had told Stefan to leave. It was obvious. “How can I be so sure that you didn’t kill Damon, when you’re here to kill the woman you claim to love. And you do. You do love me. I can feel it rolling off you.”

“I don’t love you. Not anymore.” Stefan bit out, his jaw clenching. The look he tossed her was one of a broken man. Caroline realized just how far she had broken him, thinking back to the night that they all had dinner together and the accusations he tossed her way about the one-night stand she had in New Orleans. His love for her was a twisted romanticized notion of his duty to Mikael.

“You’re lying.”

“Jane-Anne is dead.” Stefan told the room, changing the subject from a topic he clearly did not want to discuss. The whimpers and moans from the coven members could be heard from each surface of shadowless darkness. Caroline felt the despair etching onto her bones, the pain was so potent that she basked in it; enjoying the feeling of her enemies’ agony. “Where is the book?”

“I’m assuming it followed Bonnie.” Caroline shrugged, projecting a nonchalance that wasn’t real. Relief consumed her, realizing that her prediction was right. “She told me that they had tried to dispose of it before but always found its way back to her. Kai figured out that in order to get to book to Jane-Anne, Bonnie would have to be here. Sheila bound it to her so wherever she goes, it follows. So, I made sure she left.”

“And what of my daughter?” Caroline turned to see Sophie, leaning against the frame of the archway that lead into the living room. Caroline had been so focused on Stefan that she had not heard Sophie climb back up the stairs. Her emotions were wracked with grief that it mingled with the rest of the coven, hard to tell apart. She clutched her head, clearly in pain from Caroline’s assault. “You killed my mother but where is my daughter?”

“With Bonnie. Long gone.” Tears pooled in Sophie’s eyes and a new ache formed in the pit of her stomach; a sense of grief that she had never felt before. The loss of a child was a pain that Caroline felt Sophie had every right to feel. Feeling the young mother’s grief only inflamed Caroline’s rage. “Do you honestly think that I would allow you to sign your daughter up for this? To have her branded like common cattle?”

“The Shadows chose her.” Sophie cried out.

“Fuck the Shadows.” Caroline replied, noting that they had completely vanished. Not a single one could be found dancing on the walls and their whispers could not be heard from the corners of the room. All she could hear was the painful sobs of the coven, the fizzle of the magic that bound Caroline to the Boarding House, and Klaus’s raging storm that only grew more brutal. “I see that they have ran back to their master, leaving you all here alone.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Stefan replied, moving across the room. His hand gripped the knife tightly and Caroline could see his knuckles growing white. She could feel the bittersweet affection for her that he tried to hide growing stronger with each step. Caroline could feel her own rage build at the truth of Stefan’s emotions; and a hint of Klaus’s wrath mingling in her veins as well. She smiled lightly at that, knowing that his fury would soon turn to her if it had not already. “Jane-Anne went over the spell enough times for us to figure it out. Here is a good of a place as any for us to complete the sacrifice. Mikael will rise and we will track down Monique, completing the ritual.”

“What happens if you don’t find her? Or if I don’t die?”

“You remaining alive is not an option.”

“What if I died by other means? Hmm? What if the sacrificed was not completed?” Caroline smirked at him and crossed her arms. She could see the confusion written on his face, the option of Caroline dying before the sacrifice never occurring to him. The consequences of such a thing never crossed their minds. “A car accident. A disease. Or the poison you used to kill my father, slowly. There are so many things that could have killed me before tonight. So, what then? Mikael can’t rise. He is then shut in his garden for another twenty years or so? Is that it?”

“Doesn’t matter because it didn’t happen. We kept you safe and now your time is up. Your father was regrettable, but I an order to follow.” Stefan stepped closer to her, until he was mere inches from her; their noses almost touching. Caroline looked deeply into his sage eyes as she could, trying to find that little boy who she once cared for. She found nothing; the betrayal of their friendship bubbling beneath the surface again. “This was not how I imagined this night to go.”

“You’re not going to kill me Stefan.” Caroline whispered in a low tone that she knew only he could hear. The knife was still in his hand, hanging by his side. Stefan made no more to harm her, but instead just looked into her face. How many times had he thought on her death with some twisted romantic notation? Did he dream of how she would bleed out; her soul being taken to the garden to be with his master. “I am not going to die in a sacrifice. It is not how I want to go.”

“You were chosen for this Caroline. You can’t fight it.” Stefan replied and for the first time since he revealed himself to be involved in the coven, she saw real remorse in him. “But you’re right about one thing. I do love you. I always meant that honestly. I didn’t want to be the one to do it, to kill you but I will because it is the right thing to do. You’re an O’Connell. This is your family legacy.”

“You’re right. I am an O’Connell but there is something you should know.” Caroline placed her hand on Stefan’s chest, tracing the small patch of skin peeking out from under his shirt. She could feel him shiver at her touch and the sound of his heart pounding filled her ears. She leaned in close to him, pressing her lips directly beside his ear; her warm breath gracing his skin. “I’m also a fucking Fobres.”

With every ounce of strength, the mark gave her, Caroline tossed Stefan across the room. He dropped the knife as he went flying; it clattering to the ground with a deafening thump. Members of the coven moved to scramble for it, but the knife mattered little to Caroline. She spun around and picked up the iron fire poker that lingered in the flames of the small fire. She gripped the poker tightly and held it out in front of her. Before they could reach her or utter a spell that tossed the burning hot metal from her hands, Caroline plunged the poker directly into her own heart.

_Caroline! No. What have you done!_

Klaus’s anguished voice was the last thing she heard before the pain of the fire consumed her heart. She could feel the magic keeping Klaus out, break, and the scent of sulfur filled the room, the scent mixing with her own death. Blood pooled in her mouth and leaked down the side of her face. Her eyes were wide open, gazing at the ceiling; watching as it slowly went out of focus as she laid there dying. The last thing she heard before her soul left her bleeding body was the sound of pleading; voices begging for a mercy that was not going to be shown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well....Caroline is dead.
> 
> BUT before you freak, remember that we have another chapter and an epilogue yet. So, don't have on me too much. Please?


	21. At the Gates of Hell

It was the smell of brimstone that she noticed first. Caroline’s body was sprawled out onto a black slab of stone, a long pathway that burned on her back was pressed against the stone. Her blue eyes opened slowly, gazing up at a purple sky, with clouds lingering overhead. She blinked and she could see a flicker of lighting weave in-between the clouds. There was a roll of thunder overhead and for a moment, Caroline wondered if the clouds would break and that rain would fall to the ground.

Caroline sat up, placing the palm of her hands on the stone walkway, feeling the heat under her fingertips. It was warm as though the stone had baked under a hot summer sun and yet she saw no sun in sight. Her surroundings were nothing more than a purple wasteland with tall black mountains in the distance. The sounds of screams could be heard in the distance, horrified painful screams of millions of people being tortured. It was not loud or overbearing, nor was it a constant stream of sound, but more of a terrifying melody that lingered in the hot breeze flowing around her.

The scenery was lifeless. Caroline was surrounded but a desert, the sand a light shade of purple that almost seemed like it was fading into pink. A dark black brimstone pathway curved endlessly through the sand, leading into different directions. Caroline narrowed her eyes and she could see that the pathway forked in the distance, one way heading towards the tall imposing mountains while the other flowed into nothing. She held her breath for a moment, listening intently to the sounds around her.

She drowned out the screams, focusing on the thunder rolling ahead and the whisper of the breeze against her ear. If she listened, she could hear the crashing of waves in the distances and even the flicker of flames. As though the sound of fire trigged her sense of smell, the stench of smoke and salt reached her. The sound of cracking bones could be heard behind her and Caroline turned to look over her shoulder, the sight nearly causing her to jump to her feet.

The stone pathway ended mere feet from where she sat, and a large gate was within reach of her. The gate was impossibly tall and made of black iron. There were chains weaved around the iron and a lock the size of her head resting directly where the edges of the gates meet. The breeze she had felt wafted from the gate and she could feel just how cold it was on the other side. At the base of the gate, there were several skeletal remains clutching the iron bars. For a moment Caroline thought they were dead, but a pure white skull lifted its head and gazed directly at her from the empty sockets, nothing but black abyss looking at her. The skeleton raised its hand, reaching out to her. For a moment, she thought to reach out and touch the hand but then the boney fingers curled, pointing directly behind her.

She turned back around, rolling onto her knees and her palms pressing against the warm brimstone. Her eyes went wide as she saw who was coming towards her. She could see the outline of a tall figure strolling down the black path, his stride uneven. The sight of his horns growing more prominent as he came closer. The sound of his hooves clanking against the stone echoed in the silence and she smell of ash reached her. The obvious hit her in a rush that she was not prepared for.

Caroline was resting at the Gates of Hell and Satan was walking towards her. 

She could not take her eyes off his approaching form. She thought that she would hear the pounding of her heart, but it was silent. There was fear pringling beneath her skin and the hair on the back of her neck stood tall but rush of blood pulsing through her body was nonexistent. She sat back on her heels, the white dress she was wearing felling down around her legs. As she waited to Satan to come and greet her, she tried to feel her body. It was different. Something had changed.

She did not have time to contemplate much as it did not take long for Satan to be standing in front of her. She gazed up into his dark eyes, the face of a goat staring down at her. There was no expression that lingered in his feature. No warmth or hate. It was like a void was there to greet her at the end of a long journey and Caroline did not know how to process the world around her.

“Am I dead?” Caroline whispered, her voice sounding high and almost mythical. Satan said nothing, his gaze still lingering on her face, studying her as though she was a fascinating textbook. After a moment, Satan slowly nodded his head confirming Caroline’s question. She stared down at the stone walkway, trying to remember what had happened exactly how she had died. When she looked back up, Satan held out a hooved hand, his intent quite clear. Caroline reached up and grasped his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

Satan took her hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow. He began to guide her down the brimstone, Caroline’s bare feet feeling the heat from the hellfire that burned between the cracks in the path. She felt no pain from the heat, but she wondered if she should. Shouldn’t she be screaming? Burning with her enteral sins that landed her in Hell? Caroline peeked up at Satan, yet his cold eyes were focused on the path ahead. She saw nothing but the purple wasteland and mountains in the distance. She wanted to ask where they were going but she felt as though he was not going to answer her; so, she continued walking.

Farther and farther they walked and not once did Caroline feel tired. Her body did not grow weak and there was not an ounce of fatigue in her bones. It wasn’t until a flash of a memory came to her that she paused. Candles and the smell of sulfur came to mind. A little girl with terrified brown eyes and betrayed sage ones of an old friend lingered. The pain of iron and fire engulfed her chest mixed with an angry roar of despair could be heard. Caroline took a deep breath, searching for the bone that she prayed was still there. The feeling of hot fury and bloodshed consumed her, emotions she knew did not belong to her.

The memory of her death surface in her mind.

“Klaus.” The name of her lover rolled off her tongue, as each memory of her human life came floating back to her. Caroline was born, she had lived and then she had died. Her story marked with death and magic before she could understand the world around her. The memories of Klaus were strong, magnified by a bond that flowed over her very being. She turned look at Satan, the hooved creature looking at her curiously. “Where is Klaus? Why isn’t he here?”

Once again, Satan said nothing. Instead he pointed down the pathway. She turned to see a small bundle of black clouds grown and morph before her. Bigger and bigger they grew, hints of lightening in them. Satan started moving again, leading her towards the black cloud. The closer she got to the cloud, the warmer the air grew. Part of her wanted to kick and scream, beg not to be taken inside such a mystical force but a wave of calm pulsed through her, with a hint of annoyance mixed in. Klaus’s essences lingered in her senses, soothing her worries.

Satan stepped inside the cloud and Caroline followed him. She could feel the flicker of hellfire on her skin, but it did not burn her. There was no agony or torment in the darkness that surrounded her. She took a deep breath and the smell of ash filled her nostrils, yet her lungs did not burn. Hell was supposed to be a place of eternal damnation and yet Caroline did not feel as though she was being tortured. If anything, it was almost a pleasant feeling.

Mere seconds after she stepped into the black abyss, Satan lead her out the other side. Before her was the tall haunting manor she had only seen in her dreams. The tall and almost imposing manor had black siding with matching shutters. There were movement in the windows, gazes of dull eyes and hands pressed against the glass; souls that belonged to Klaus and that were doomed to linger behind those walls for all of eternity. The manor appeared run down and decrepit but there was a pulse to it, a magical pull that made her want to walk up the front porch and call it home. 

Caroline let go of Satan’s arm and made her way to the steps leading up to the front door. She did not look back and he did not stop her. It was clear to her now that Satan was not there to guide her to an eternal punishment but rather, to bring her home; to bring her to the place that she would spend the limitless amount of time with his son, waiting for Klaus to claim Hell’s throne.

_I knew I would like you._

The voice that whispered in her mind was not one she had heard before. It was beautiful and majestic, a regal tone that had her turning on her feet. She gazed down the small set of stairs to see Satan looking up at her. He said nothing. No words passing his lips but there was something in his eyes that made Caroline give him a small nod; an understanding and a mutual love for Klaus. Satan turned away from her and made his way down the long stone pathway, towards the black cloud.

It wasn’t until Satan was out of sight that Caroline turned to find the large front door completely open when it had been closed only moments before. Without a second though, Caroline stepped over the threshold to an entryway that she had never seen before. The ceiling was impossibly tall, a chandelier made of candles and bone hung above her. She had wished the candles were lit and she blinked each one grew a flamed. A soft glow of light made the room feel brighter and Caroline smiled.

She reached out to touch the dark purple walls, designs of black ivy weaved in an intricate design. She pressed her palm against the wall, feeling the pulse of the manor fill her veins. She walked down the long winding hallway, her fingers tracing the wall as she went; the glow of the chandelier following her as she went. She paused at a large, dark wood picture frame and smile. Freya gazed down at her with a smug smile, as though she had known that Caroline would find her way to Hell. Slowly, Freya’s hand moved, pausing for a moment, until her hand was raised in a position that mirrored a wave.

Caroline smiled and nodded at Freya before pushing onward. She weaved through the halls, peeking through doorways and opening drawers to find empty or filled with screaming souls. Some doors she opened lead to nowhere while others led to an empty abyss that Caroline could hear the whispers of the damned. Caroline stumbled upon a large set of glass doors that lead to only what could be Hell’s version of a greenhouse. The walls were made of pure glass and the ceiling showed a clear view of purple sky and rolling black clouds. The temperature dropped several degrees, giving the room a chill that would not have been found outside the artic, as she stepped into the massive room, passing but plants and objects that she could not place.

Through the glass, Caroline could see a haunting looking forest filed with tall dark trees and menacing obscurities lingering behind the manor. Caroline stepped closer, wanting to gaze out at the forest but the closer she got to the glass, she noticed that someone was stuck inside the crystal wall. Eyes blinked back at her, staring into her soul as though she was someone she could plead with. A pale white hand pressed against the glass and an echoing scream could be heard ringing inside her ears.

“Caroline.” Klaus voice came from behind her and she spun around to see Klaus standing in the archway of the glass doors. He was still wearing the same jeans and Henley she had taken off of him in the Abattoir only hours earlier. His silver chain hung around his neck and his pendant resting just above his collar bone. He looked the same except that from head to toe, he was covered in blood. His blond curls mingled with hints of red. Specks of covered his pale skin and his jeans appeared to have bathed in blood. Even the black Henley that appeared wet and clung to his torso had a haunting hue to it that told Caroline it suffered the same fate as the rest of his clothes.

“Klaus. You’re here.” Caroline smiled and took a step forward, reaching out to touch him. His body was rigid, but his eyes watched her every move. She reached up to cup his cheek, but he still did not move. Her thumb traced his cheekbone, smearing blood against it and she could feel his jaw lock. “You’re angry.”

“What. Where. You. Thinking?” The words slipped passed clenched teeth and she could see his hands ball into fists. There was a gush of cold air and multiple whimpers could be heard from the fleeing souls from the glass. There was a stillness in his posture, an eerie calm right before the storm was about to break. She thought on the rage he held as the coven locked him from the Boarding House, locked him away from her and Caroline knew that what she was seeing was the aftermath of a hurricane and the moments before the next.

“I did what I had to do, Klaus. They were going to kill me either way. I would still have ended up standing before you as I am now. I just couldn’t let Mikael rise.” Caroline squared her shoulders, bracing her bare feet against the stone of the greenhouse; the stone feeling so cold that she wondered if she was standing on a sheet of pure ice. Klaus said nothing at first, simply glaring at her in a way she had only seen in dreams that he sent her as she slept. Never before had such anger been directed towards her.

Klaus stepped around her, brushing the side of her arm as he went. She could hear his footsteps stroll further into the greenhouse, his steps methodical and calculated. As each step he took, Caroline wondered when exactly the cord holding him together would snap. They were seconds away from complete fury being unleashed. Slowly, Caroline turned to watch his retreating back, letting out a hollow sigh, the steam from her breath hanging in the air. She followed him deeper into the greenhouse, watching as he passed unworldly plants; black ivy curling on the side of the glass and plants that could eat one’s soul.

Klaus paused at a small round wooden table that held what Caroline assumed was an iron, triangular lamp by the low golden light shining from lace design on the sides. He reached down and picked up the lamp, curling it in his hands. Merely seconds later, Klaus let out a deafening roar, arching his arm backwards and tossing the lamp straight through the greenhouse glass wall; shattering the glass as the lamp hit it and the golden light swirling inside it hung in the air. Caroline could see a pair of dark eyes gazing back at her and the sound of a piercing screaming echoing from it.

As though the lamp was tied to the greenhouse by an invisible string, the moment in landed on the pink sand that rested just outside the glass it snapped directly back through the hole and onto the table where it had been before; the golden soul being sucked back into the center of the lamp. Klaus’s rage of destruction continued. He tossed over tables, ripped the ivy from the walls and broke various objects in his path. Each and everything he destroyed righted itself. Caroline was unsure what was more unsettling, Klaus’s rage or the screams of the souls; the pain he caused them has he destroyed their prisons, only for them to be sucked back inside them seconds later, never truly able to be free. When Klaus braced his hands against a wicker chair, the muscles in his back tightening, Caroline pressed a kiss between his shoulder blades and rested her head against his back.

“I’m here. I’m safe. I’m with you.” Caroline whispered gently, hoping to sooth his anger but it did nothing. Klaus whipped around in her arms, towering over her but Caroline was not about to back down. She gazed up into his eyes and refused to flinch or look away. She could see the anger of her death burning behind is pupils but there was something else; something far deeper.

Greif.

Caroline reached up and cupped his cheek, her thumb trailing along his cheek bone. Klaus pressed deeper into her hand, enjoying the feeling of her palm pressing against his skin. He reached up and gripped her hand, turning to press a kiss to her palm. Caroline could feel as his lips curled, and his teeth nipped at her skin and that fury was back in full force. She braced herself for the wave of his anger; feeling the rage rolling of him in pulses.

“You shouldn’t be here. Not yet.” The words slipped out as a hiss. He dropped her hand and turned from her only to spin back around, his finger pointing in her face. “What you did was stupid and reckless and selfish. Fuck Mikael. I would have taken care of him if he had risen. My marked burned beneath your skin, eating away at his. You could feel it. I could feel it. You were growing stronger. More powerful by the second. The strength, the ability to sense moments before they happened, the empathy. It would have been a pleasure to watch that power grow over decades before you joined me here, but you cut it short. You killed yourself and I felt you die.”

“The mark is still there Klaus. It is not gone, and it is growing. I can still feel it. You didn’t lose me. I’m still here.” She stepped towards him again, taking his face in her hands and sent him a pleading look that begged him to understand what she was trying to tell him. “And you couldn’t get in. The coven used your own trick against you. They would have killed me, and Mikael still might have tried to take me to the garden, what then? I was set to die either way. At least this way they couldn’t complete the ritual.”

“I would have come for you."

“But this way you don’t have to.”

“And what of your life? What of that? What of that friend of yours? How do you think she is going to feel about finding your dead body?”

“Don’t even pretend that you care about Elena.” Caroline rolled her eyes, her tone full of sarcasm. Klaus was grasping at straws and she knew that he was angry. She knew that she would have to face his wrath the moment she plunged the iron poker through her heart but as she stood in the middle of Hell, Caroline could not regret her decision. “You’re angry because I died and I understand, but I made my choice and I will spend the rest of eternity with it. With you.”

“Do you know what I felt the moment I realized you had died? The spell broke and I found myself inside that ridiculous house to find you bleeding out. Everything I wanted you to see in life was snatched away. I want you here, yes but I wanted you to live first.” Klaus paused and Caroline said nothing. “Your death, it felt like my entire being was ripped in two. My entire soul was shattered and I was lost in a rage I cannot explain.”

“Then show it to me. Make me understand.” Caroline replied, helpless. She hated seeing Klaus completely lost at the sight of him. She would never regret the decision to take her own life because she had come to terms with her own death, something he should know. “Show me. I know you can. Let me feel that pain. Stop blocking it from me.”

Caroline could see the fight in his eyes, wanting to keep his emotions locked up and hidden from her. As she stood there, watching him rage and destroy everything he touched, she realized that she could not feel a single thing that he was feeling. The bond was there, pulsing between them but if felt like a one-way street with a stone wall at the end of it. Klaus considered her request, pursing his lips into a thin line but he let the guard drop completely. Caroline sucked in a breath as a wave of grief and pain hit her all at once.

It was a deep sorrow that she had never experienced. There was a hollowness that wracked her entire being only to be followed by an anger that pulsed through her veins; wracking every nerve and every beat of her heart. It was more than loss and grief; it was an earth-shattering blackness that was all consuming. In that moment she could feel every ounce of adoration and love that Klaus had built in the years he watched over her. It was deeper than anything she knew someone had felt for her and then it shattered into a thousand pieces. Before Caroline could say a word, Klaus leaned down and bought Caroline into a soft kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut, falling into his arms and allowing the memory to take her back to the moments just after her death.

_The spell the coven casted broke, the invisible shield crumbing like an empire that spent decades being built. The front door of the Boarding House burst open and Klaus stormed in, a rage pulsing into the room; Elijah, and Rebekah all on his heels. The coven members scattered, fleeing as quickly as they could, Klaus’s siblings chasing after them, preventing them from leaving, their screams echoing through the darkened halls; begging for a master that was unable to come._

_Caroline watched as Klaus slowly stepped down the stairs and into the living room. Stefan was still standing there with the sacrificial blade in his hand. He made no motion to move any further, his gaze still on Caroline’s body and the iron rod that was poking out of her chest. Blood had blended into the white dress, staining any purity it held just as the blood seeped out of her mouth and her wide blue eyes glazed blankly at the ceiling._

_There was rumble, an earthquake that shook the very foundation of the entire town, a rippling wave of grief pulsing through her and Caroline knew that it wasn’t the past Klaus’s emotion, it was hers. Stefan was knocked to his feet while Klaus was left standing tall, his rage on full view. Caroline could feel every inch of that fury and seeing him so calm while his emotions were unappalled was a sight that Caroline should feel the need to flee in search of safety. Yet, she could only feel a deep sense of sorrow lingering deep in her soul._

_She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to see an identical Klaus standing next to her. The only difference was that this Klaus had dried blood lingering on his skin. His eyes were focused on Caroline’s corpse, refusing to look away from it as the scene continued to play out before her. She turned and watched the memory of Klaus slowly kneel down before Stefan. For the first time since the night had fallen, Caroline saw Stefan show something that resembled fear. She couldn’t feel, for it was just a memory but the terror was written on his face._

_“Please. Please-“_

_“Silence.” Klaus hissed through clenched teeth, the hatred rolling from his lips in a way that Caroline had never seen. Even when he spoke of Mikael, Klaus never showed such distain as he did in that moment for Stefan. Klaus reached out and took the knife from Stefan’s hands and looked down at the blade. In an instant, the silver began to melt in his hand; a silvery substance trickling to the ground and burned the hardwood floor. “Give me a reason why I should spare you.”_

_“I loved her.” Stefan spit out quickly and Klaus gave a chuckle. The lights flickered around her and the darkness in Klaus’s chuckle was so dark that Caroline felt the hair on the back of her neck stand. She could hear pleading all around her as the coven members scurried and tried to flee but Elijah and Rebekah did not allow them passage. They all were huddled into the living room, forced to bear witness to Klaus’s wrath; not a single hair on their head hurt but Caroline could not focus on them._

_“Wrong answer.” Klaus replied in a menacing tone. His finger that was coated in the residue from the silver dagger reached out to trace a long line down Stefan’s cheek. When his finger reached his jawbone, Klaus’s hand gripped the entirety of his opponent’s chin. “Try again. Why should I not choke the life from you as you tried to do to Caroline, the woman you profess to love. Give me a reason to spare you.”_

_“Please. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die!”_

_“And Caroline did not want to be sacrificed to your master and yet you were all too willing to hand her over, and you call that love?” Klaus chuckled, that dark and eerie presence lingering in the air again. There was a manic gleam in Klaus’s eye that she had never seen before; a plan being hatched inside that age-old mind. “Although, if life is what you desire. I’m sure you and I could come to an arrangement. Come Stefan Salvatore. Let’s make a deal.”_

_“A deal?” Stefan whimpered, trying to scoot away from Klaus but the latter just gripped Stefan’s chin tighter. Caroline could see her ex-boyfriend’s chest heaving and she could hear is rapid breathing over the terrified whimpers of the coven. No amount of magic or spells were going to be unable to undo a demon’s deal. Caroline realized that none of them have ever truly met a demon, everything had just been a fantasy passed down from one generation to the next._

_“That’s right. In exchange for letting you live; you give me your soul upon your death decades from now. You will live a long life until your grey, dying of old age. Then I will come to collect my payment.” Klaus purred, his tone low and dangerous. His smile cold and calculating. “If not, I can kill you now and send you to the depths of Hell and let my father play with you. Your choice.”_

_“Deal. I’ll take the deal. Just don’t kill me.” Stefan pleaded and Caroline wondered if he had always sounded weak or realized just how bad of a deal he was agreeing too. In the end, all mortals die, and their souls linger in the afterlife; Klaus collecting Stefan’s soul may take decades, but Klaus was nothing if not patient. Five or six decades is nothing compared to an eternity of torture._

_“Very well. Wise choice.” Klaus held out his free hand and in a wisps of black smoke, the same knife that Klaus had used to make their own deal appeared. Klaus stood to his feet, his hand still clutching Stefan’s chin; pulling him along as he stood and setting Stefan on his feet. Klaus let go of Stefan and dug the knife into the palm of his hand before holding it out to Stefan. He took the knife and mimicked slicing his own hand; his whole body shaking in terror with the act that he was about to commit. Klaus gripped Stefan’s hand, holding it tightly and Caroline could see Stefan’s eyes grow wide as the deal rooted itself in his soul. Klaus yanked Stefan close to him and pressed his lips to his ear. “And now we have a deal.”_

_“So, you’ll leave now?” Stefan whispered, his voice shaking with the terror and realization at what he had just done. Klaus’s smirk grew wider, his dimples creasing in his cheeks. The lights flickered again as Klaus gave another chuckle as though he witnessed something amusing that the rest did not see._

_“Oh no. I made a deal with you. Not the coven. But don’t worry, you’ll live a long life in order to hear their screams for the rest of it.” Klaus dropped Stefan’s hand and turned on his heels; and that is when the screams started. Each member of the coven started to flee, but Elijah and Rebekah blocked each of them from escaping. A dozen coven members were nothing again three demons, especially when they had no savior coming to save them._

_One by one, Klaus tore them apart while his siblings stood on the sidelines watching with bored expressions on their faces. He ripped arms from their torsos; the sound of the skin tearing like paper being torn in half. Bones broke and necks snapped. Not a single death was gentle. Everyone was mutilated, heads being tossed across the room like a rag doll and their screams mirror those Caroline heard in the depths of Hell. Blood splattered across the room, coating the antiques and old paintings in nothing but red. The floor ran with more blood than fabric of the couches could soak up. Blood dripped in the cracks of the floorboard and Caroline could hear the spattering in the basement below._

_Body parts mingled with one another, and Caroline was unable to tell them apart. Not a single coven member was left whole, each and every one mutilated beyond recognition. All except for Stefan. He was left kneeling in a river of his coven’s blood, the only one of them in the Boarding House left alive. When Klaus was done with his massacre, his body dripped in more blood than Caroline had ever seen, he knelt back down in front of Stefan’s._

_“I never said that your life would be pleasant.” He reached out and touched Stefan’s face, leaving a bloody handprint on his cheek. Bile rose in Stefan’s throat and he heaved the contents of his stomach onto the floor; the shock and horror written into every ounce of his body. Caroline watched as his body shook and how his eyes lingered over every dismembered body part in the room. “Happiness was not in the terms of our deal.”_

_Klaus stood from Stefan and left the other man to openly weep. He moved the few paces to the fireplace, stepping over a few heads and limbs before kneeling down beside Caroline’s body. She watched as he scooped her body into his arms, pressing his bloody face into her curls. He gripped the iron robe and pulled it from her chest, tossing it across the room; the clanking of it hitting the floor muffled as it splashed into a puddle of blood. Klaus let out a howl of sorrow, a painful sound that made Caroline feel like her soul was breaking. Something that watching at least a dozen people being murdered didn’t even attempt to do. She turned to look up at her Klaus, his face matching the sorrow the blood drenched one wore._

_“Let’s go home. Klaus. It’s over. Let’s go home.” Her Klaus turned to look at her and blinked; making her realize that he had not taken his eyes off her body the entire time that the memory played. He nodded and leaned down to kiss her. Much like the kiss that brought them there, it was soft and gentle, the world fading and molding itself back into Hell._

The kiss broke and they were standing close to one another, the sounds of the souls whispering around them fading in the background. His eyes trailed her body, gazing up and down at her as though he was reassuring himself that was with him and that he did not lose her. The bond was wide open, and she could feel the rush of fear and longing pulsing through it. She could feel the uncertainty of the mark and his terror that there was a chance that it would not work; a fear of Caroline being dragged down to Mikael’s garden. Tears prickled in her eyes, realizing what her death had done and the pain that it caused.

“I hate that dress.” Klaus whispered and Caroline blinked through her tears. She could feel the anger still sizzling, but it was tempered as though it was on low. Caroline looked down at her white dress, seeing the lace covered in spots of blood. She had not looked at her own appearance to notice the stains or anything else about how she appeared. Klaus waved his hand, the dress morning into a long black gown that covered her arms, the skirt was made of a sheer fabric and Caroline could feel a breeze on her back, telling her that it was bare. Her hair pulled itself from her shoulders and piled onto of her head, yet her feet remained bear. “That’s better.”

“Black. Seriously? Drama King much?” Caroline muttered and she could see the corners of his lips perk up, but the pain still pulled through their bond. She reached for his red stained hand and kissed his knuckles, tasting the blood of the coven on them. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anything other not giving the coven, giving Stefan, what they wanted. If I was going to die, then I wanted it to be on my terms. No one else. I’m sorry it hurt you, but I don’t regret what I’ve done. Especially if it means that I am here, with you.”

“Come.” Klaus laced his fingers with hers and pulled her out of the greenhouse. They weaved through the hallways, passing paintings with moving eyes, bookcases where the books moaned and the flames on the candle chandelier burned brighter than humanely possible. The front door to the manor opened with the snap of his fingers and they walked through it.

“Where are we going?” Caroline asked, being pulled down the stairs after him; her feet touching the brimstone pathway, the hellfire once again feeling warm against her skin. Klaus stopped suddenly, causing Caroline to stumble into him but he did not notice. He raised his hand, pressing his middle finger to his thumb; the snap echoing in the wasteland for nothing to hear it. A black cloud formed, identical to the one Satan had used to bring her to the manor, in front of them. Klaus moved to step forward, but Caroline pulled him back, giving him an inquisitive look. “Klaus, talk to me.”

“We are ending this. I’m done with this game. I can’t kill him not yet, but I can make sure he never leaves that blasted garden again.” Caroline’s mouth went dry, unable to speak but she nodded, allowing Klaus to pull her into the darkness. She blinked a few times, gripping Klaus’s hand tightly and the other side appeared before them in and instant. The purple hue that Caroline began to adore about Hell vanished. In its place was a dark stone room. There were whimpers and cries in the room, ones that she had known her entire life. 

The Shadows.

_“Whore.”_ They hissed at her, their tone far darker and menacing then she had ever remembered them being before. They danced upon the stone walls, weeping in sadness and crying out in such betrayal that made Caroline smile. The Shadows caused no fear in her, no longer were they bound to her on their master’s orders. They were nothing. Caroline brought her fingers to her lips, pressed a kiss and blew it at them. The Shadows hissed and cried, fleeing into the cracks in the wall.

Klaus did not notice. His gaze was focused on the far wall, large circular door made of stone was holding an entrance closed. However, there was a crack on the edge of the door, allowing a sliver of light to peak through. They walked closer to the door, ignoring that blinking eyes of some beast in the corner or how something was crawling on the wall behind them. Caroline reached out to touch the door, seeing a symbol caved onto the door. A symbol that made Caroline smile and one that she knew intently.

It was Klaus’s mark.

Klaus dropped Caroline’s hand and pressed them against the side of the door, pushing it open. It rolled easily but Caroline knew that it would only open for the owner of that mark. The magic pulsing around the door engulfed her like an old friend. A lover that she never wanted to let go of. The door opened and beautiful light poured out of it, basking her in a warmth that only paradise could produce. Klaus stood in front of the entrance, holding out his hand for her. She did not think twice before slipping her hand into his and allowing him to guide her into the garden.

Like in her dreams, it was beautiful. Light stone pathways created trails through various of exotic flowers. The sky was an impossible blue and the air felt fresh and warm. There were birds chirping overhead and if she closed her eyes, the sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance. Hand in hand, they weaved down a path but as closer; the flowers that the garden nurtured had statues linger all throughout their beds.

Caroline gazed at each of their faces, the stone appearing new and freshly carved. There were dozens of statues lined together, their eyes all following Caroline and Klaus as they strolled among the flowers. Every few steps they took, there was a new statue, and each had horrified looks on their faces. Caroline paused when a familiar face appeared before her.

Sophie’s face was forever immortalized in Mikael’s garden.

“He turned them to stone. The moment they crossed over to the garden, their master there to greet them and he just, punished them. No remorse. Nothing.” Caroline muttered, gazing at Sophie’s face, her eyes holding a petrified gaze as the sight of the demon who murdered her looked back at her. Caroline thought on Monique then. She wondered if that little girl would ever remember her mother as she grew older and she could only hope she didn’t. That maybe Bonnie would be able to give her a life that that was not tainted by such darkness.

“They disappointed me. What else was I going to do? Give them a paradise? This is Hell after all.” Mikael’s voice sounded around them. Both Caroline and Klaus turned to see the demon sitting on the edge of a fountain. His face was passive and appeared bored, but Caroline knew better. The waves of irritation and disappointment rolled off him like a disease floating through the air. “Hello bastard.”

“Mikael.” Klaus replied, his voice thick with a loathing that felt centuries old. While Mikael’s dislike and disappointment of Klaus could be felt, it was nothing compared to the pure and unadulterated hated of Mikael out weighted the other demon’s emotions. It was Esther’s punishment and Freya’s prison that rolled through the bond and Caroline knew that this was so much more than just vengeance for her. Vengeance for the blood the coven had spilt in Mikael’s name.

None of that mattered when the heart of the problem was a biblical war that outlasted most of history.

“Strange how this whole time you fought to keep Caroline joining me in her proper place and then you bring her to me yourself. Tired of her already?” Mikael taunted and Klaus made a move to read for him, but Caroline placed her hand on his chest, stopping him. She leaned up and kissed his lips, slowly walking towards Mikael. She stopped inches from him and turned to gaze at the statue of a woman just behind him. It was an old one. Possibly the oldest statue in the garden. Her eyes were tired and worn but they looked at her with revulsion and judgment that Caroline felt she did not warrant. 

“Hello Esther.” Caroline greeted the statue and reached up to touch her face, the statues eyes following her every move. Caroline traced the lines and cracks in the stone before, noting that they were impossibly old and should have crumbled by now. “He must have felt something for you, keeping your statue from falling to dust. He must really want you to suffer for your betrayal if he won’t let you crumble and to find peace in oblivion.”

Caroline spun on her heels and gazed back at Mikael and Klaus. The pair watched her with rapid attention; Klaus placing himself close to her and willing to step in if he felt that it was needed. Yet, Caroline could feel the mark growing inside her. With each passing second it grew and her strength magnified. She wondered if Mikael could sense it on her, just as she could sense the irritation rolling off him. He had lost and he knew it, his frustration at not receiving his price was stronger than his anger.

“I think I like your father better, Klaus. At least he has manners. Who would have thought? Satan being a gentleman?” Caroline chuckled, shaking her head. Mikael’s lips curled at the name of Klaus’s father. Even centuries later, he was still furious at the betrayal, angry that Satan had been with what he had perceived as his. “I get it. If I was her. I would done the same thing.”

Mikael made and in an instate, he was standing directly in front of Caroline. Klaus stepped forward but Caroline held up her hand. This was Klaus’s battle but since her entire mortal life had been manipulated due to Mikael, she wanted to be the one who shut him away. In that moment, she realized she didn’t want Mikael dead, she wanted him to suffer for the remainder of eternity. She wanted him to feel every ounce of torment he inflicted on those who gave him their souls. He looked down at her and Caroline felt no fear or ounce of worry. If anything, she felt pity for the demon.

“Your mother was prettier and a much more satisfying gift.” Mikael bit out and Caroline shook her head, the insult not even hurting her. She did not know when it had happened, but she had made peace with Liz and the fate she had suffered. Liz had given herself willingly to Mikael and paid dearly for it. Caroline would forever mourn her; mourning the life that could have been but with an understanding that Liz made her own choices.

“I bet she was but, unlike my mother I’m not yours to turn to dust.” Caroline whispered and Mikael’s face grew even more angry, he reached out and gripped her blonde hair but then recoiled in paid. Klaus’s mark flared inside her, steaming at Mikael’s mere touch. She looked over to Klaus, and she could see the curious look on his face. She knew that he felt the heat and fire burning under their skin. “I’m no longer a human girl to be sacrificed. I’m something more.”

“Sweetheart?”

“I’m alright. He can’t hurt me. The mark remembers him. It remembers his essence and it will never let it touch me again.” Caroline studied Mikael’s face, realizing that with every passing century, Klaus would grow stronger, but Mikael had no more room to expand. He was fully grown, and his potential met. “It’s why you haven’t tried to attack or claim me, it’s because you know you can’t.”

“You’re supposed to be mine. My mark was placed upon you first. I claimed you first. I claimed you as a child.” Mikael hissed and his hand balled to his feet. He wanted to strike her. Punish her and turn her to stone. He wanted her apart of the collection that he had built for centuries, but Caroline did not want to be owned, forcefully given to something she did not understand. “You belonged to me and the bastard stole you away. Like he stole my children from me.”

“I belong to no one. I gave myself to Klaus because I chose to. He didn’t force me like you would have. That alone makes him the better demon, don’t you think?” Caroline taunted, a small chuckle in her voice. She turned to look at Klaus was watching the interaction carefully, itching to step forward and put an end to Mikael. Yet, he wasn’t strong enough to kill the demon; not yet. “Klaus, if I wanted to leave Hell. I don’t know where I’d go. Maybe find peace. Would you let me?”

“Yes. I’d let you go.” Klaus replied without hesitation and their eyes met. Caroline knew that such an admission should have been considered but he answered so quickly. Klaus did not let go of souls that he deemed belonged to him; but for Caroline, he would always make an exception. “The bond can only be broken by those who issued the marks. I would sever it if it was what you wanted, no matter the pain it brought me.” 

“And that is why I would choose him and not you Mikael. You would turn me to stone when I no longer interested you.” Caroline breathed. She wanted one last moment to gaze into the face of the monster who, unknowingly to her, dictated her entire life because after they left the garden, she never wanted to gaze upon his face again.

Caroline blinked once and then twice before reached up and grabbing Mikael by the neck; steam radiating from spot their skin met. She spun him around and sat the demon down beside Esther’s statue. Mikael stumbled, the smell of burning flesh ricocheting off of him. His hands went to his neck, but he stood up straight. Caroline held out her hand to Klaus, beckoning him forward. Upon her command, Klaus stepped forward and weaved their hands together. He lifted the back of her hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on it.

“Do you see the blood that he is drenched in? That is the blood of your servants. Not once did you ask why they all were delivered to you early. They were a gift from Klaus to you. One last hurrah if you will.” Caroline’s eyes flickered to Esther again, the centuries of black magic glaring down at her with pure hatred. After all the time immortalized into stone, she still was forever Mikael’s faithful little puppet. “Goodbye Mikael.”

Caroline stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Mikael’s cheek. She reached out and placed her hand upon Esther’s stone arm. She felt the brittle stone travel from her fingertips to her lips. She pulled away and took a step back, letting the sight of the stone crawling over his skin consume him. He tried to fight it, by moving his limbs and crying out but nothing worked. Caroline knew that her powers were linked to Klaus and it was his strength flowing through her that allowed Caroline to turn Mikael to stone. It was the petrified expression on his face that would forever be carved into the stone that had her smiling. 

“The two of you really beautiful together. I hope you enjoy eternity side by side.” Caroline muttered, gazing at the pair of them. There was a small gap between them, a distance that could only define the premise of their relationship. Caroline turned to Klaus, whose eyes lingered solely on his mother’s, the parent that never loved him and then turned to Mikael. They both knew that the only time that Klaus would ever stop foot in this garden would be centuries from now when he was the King of Hell and would have the strength the crumble the demon into dust. “Klaus?”

“I’m wondering if I should let her stay like this. One touch and she would be no more. It would a kindness.” Klaus muttered turning back to his mother. Esther’s eyes looking at her son and for the first time, Caroline saw a hint of something gentle. She was pleading. She wanted to find oblivion and to succumb to the darkness. “Pity I’m not known for being kind.”

“Come.” Caroline placed her hand on Klaus’s arm, pulling him away from the statues and guiding him down the stone pathway. “I want to go home.”

They made their way through the garden, passing the coven of statues and leaving the false beauty in the wake. They stepped through the stone door and Klaus pulled it shut; sealing it so no one could enter it again. His mark gleamed onto the stone and dust polluted the air as the door closed. The Shadows cried in agony, a few slipping through the crack of the door and into the garden; in search of their master. Klaus linked his hand with Caroline’s and snapped his fingers to bring forth the black cloud that would take them away from the part of Hell that Caroline never wanted to see again. They stepped through and the purple wasteland appeared along with the tall haunting manor that she now called home.

Silently, the pair walked into the home, the front door opening on its own accord and shutting behind them. Caroline turned and picked up his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles; still sensing the unease that Klaus was feeling. There was a hint of disbelief and remaining anger pulsing through their marks. The chandelier full of candles flickered above them, and Caroline leaned into his embrace, kissing his bloodstained lips.

“I think we need to get you cleaned up.” Caroline whispered, tracing the dried blood on his skin. Klaus gave a humorless laugh but nodded. He gripped her hand and pulled her towards the stairs. Caroline felt as though the stairs were moving under her feet and she could hear the whispers in the walls. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a blank canvas hanging in a frame, she could only assume that the missing painting was of Freya; the eldest Mikaelson knowing that his brother would want to be alone with Caroline.

They weaved through long halls, passing doors that each held a different energy. Over her shoulder, Caroline could a bright red door lingering at the end of the hall; the essence calling to her, but she continued to follow Klaus. She had an eternity to find out what was behind that door after all. Klaus lead her towards a pair of tall glass doors, and he pushed them open. Inside was a tall four-poster bed that looked as though it was never touched. Old dressers, bookshelves and canvases were situated around the room. Unworldly paintings hung on the walls, each of the brush strokes echoing the artists pain.

“Sit.” Caroline whispered, pressing a hand to his chest and guiding him down to the bed. Klaus followed her directions, sitting on the edge of the blood red quilt that covered the bed. Caroline smiled and held out her hand, her palm facing upward. In a puff of black smoke, a damp rag appeared in her hand and she could see the corner of Klaus’s lips turn upward; impressed at how quickly she was coming into her newly found abilities.

She brought the rag to his face, gently cleaning the blood from his skin. She could have snapped her fingers, making the blood vanish but she felt that this was better; a way calm his uneasy emotions. It wasn’t until the rag graced his neck that Klaus gripped her wrist, stopping her movements. Klaus peered up at her and she just smiled down at him. In an instant, he pulled her wrist and brought her to lie back against the bed as though she was a light doll to be tossed around, and Caroline let him.

The rag tumbled from her hands and Klaus moved to peer above her, gazing down into her face. He studied her as though he was trying to memorize every inch of her expression. She could feel the uncertainty pulsing through their bond and the centuries of loneliness that haunted him. Tears flowed down her cheeks as the flood gates of everything that Klaus had ever kept built up consumed her. The years of watching her grow and the knowledge of what awaited her hit her all at one.

“I’m here. I’m okay, it’s over.” As though something snapped inside Klaus, he leaned down quickly to take her lips with his. The kiss was bruising and furiously. Caroline could feel every ounce of his being and his soul in that kiss. She realized that that he had been holding back the times she had been with him but the Klaus above her was done being gentle. They belonged to one another, their bond linking them together for all eternity.

Caroline wrapped her arms around his shoulders, weaving her fingers into his hair; not caring about the scraps of dried blood that changed the color from blonde to red. She arched her back off the bed and pressed her chest into his. She moaned into his lips as his hands roamed her body, grazing the sides of her breasts and gripping her hip, pushing her down into the bed. Klaus pulled back, breaking the kiss and reached for the top of the front of the black dress, tearing the bodice in two, exposing her naked breasts to him. Caroline could feel the heat of Hell against her hardened nipples and moaned.

Klaus’s eyes took in the sight of her greedily, really admiring her form for the first time. Unlike the previous times they’ve had sex, this would be the first time that was not a part of some ritualistic marking. It was just the two of them and the emotions flowing through their bound mingled, neither were able to tell which emotion belonged to whom. A filthy grin appeared on Klaus’s lips and he leaned down to kiss her again.

It was another furious kiss, but it only lasted a second before his lips trailed down her the side of her jaw. He created a trail of kisses down the side of her neck while his hands cupped her naked breasts. His thumbs moved over her erect nipples and Caroline could feel the heat pool between her legs; a heat that was far hotter than the depths of Hell. She tilted her neck to the side, giving Klaus easier access to suck at her pulse point. His teeth nipped at her skin and his hands palmed her breast, squeezing and massaging them as he sucked on her skin.

“Mine.” The word came out as a snarl, his teeth bearing like a wild animal claiming its prey. This tongue peeked through his lips, tracing the rest spot that was appearing on her skin. Caroline moaned at the feeling, her eyes fluttering shut as his lips trailed farther south. Caroline let her body fall limp against the bed, enjoying the feeling of Klaus kissing his way down her body. His lips circled a nipple, his teeth biting at her skin. “Mine. Your soul is mine. No one else. For eternity, I will worship you, _because you’re mine.”_

“I’m yours.” Caroline muttered, biting the bottom of her lip and moaning at the feeling of kisses on her body. Her hips arched to grind against his, but his hands gripped them, holding her still against the bed. Caroline’s hands went back to his bloodstained hair and massaged her nails against his scalp. She gripped his hair tightly and pulled his hair away from her skin, directing him to look at her. Caroline opened her eyes to see him peering back at her. “And you are mine. Forever.”

Klaus did not reply, instead giving her a grin and Caroline could feel his desire through the bond. Klaus wanted her and no one else; it was his greatest pleasure to be claimed by her. He lowered his gaze back down to her body and placed a kiss between the valley of her breast. His lips continued to trail south; licking and sucking at every ounce of skin he could find. His tongue circled her bellybutton as his hands scratched down her side. Caroline arched at his touch, tossing her head backwards and her blonde curls moving perfectly in order to prevent her hair from becoming out of place.

Klaus pulled back from her completely and Caroline whimpered at the loss of his body. She opened her eyes to look at him. He was standing at the edge of the bed, gazing at her naked chest and the ripped dress that was resting against her waist. His hand touched the black fabric of the dress that covered her knee. Slowly, his fingers traced a line down her skin until they danced atop of her foot. Then with a mischievous smile, Klaus gripped her ankle, placed a gentle kiss against it and then dragged Caroline across the bed until her bottom was at the edge.

Caroline sat up and spread her legs wide for him. Their eyes locked onto one another as his hands ran the length of her leg, pushing the fabric of her dress higher and higher. His fingers danced across the inside of her thigh, teasing her. Slowly he inched forward, Caroline moaning in frustration as her core ached at his teasing; her fingers gripped the quilt that was beneath her. Klaus was grinning down at her, enjoying seeing her squirm.

“Klaus!” Caroline cried out as his fingers touched her clit. His fingers circling her quickly, causing her mouth to drop open and a load moan to escape her. His fingers sunk further down her cunt until he was able to slip two fingers fully inside her. Slowly he began to thrust his fingers in and out of her, causing his name to fall from her lips over and over again. Klaus leaned down to kiss her as his thumb pressed against her clit. Caroline bit down on his lips as the pleasure continued to build in the pit of her stomach.

When the cord snapped and Caroline came against Klaus’s hand, she moaned into her lover’s lips. When they broke apart, Caroline could see the look of complete bliss on his face as though he could feel the pleasure she experienced at his touched. She took deep breath, feeling Hell’s air enter her lungs and allowed her body to calm down from what she had experienced. She whimpered lowly when Klaus pulled his fingers from her, bringing them to his lips to suck the juices from them.

Narrowing her eyes in mock frustration, Caroline brought her hand up and pressed her middle fingers to her thumbs and snapped. The sound of fabric tearing could be heard through the room as Klaus’s Henley tore itself apart, shredding into nothing more than small pieces of blood-stained black fabric. Caroline tiled her head, fixing her eyes upon his jeans and seeing the bulge that was straining against them. The button popped open on its own and a force pulled the jeans down his legs without either of them touching them, exposing his fully erect cock to her. She turned to peer up at Klaus with hooded eyes, spotting an impressed look on his face.

In an instant, Caroline found herself pushed backward and her hands pinned above her head by an invisible force; yet she could sense Klaus’s essence all around her even though he was still standing at the edge of the bed. His hands gripped her hips and pushed what remained of her dress up to her waist, baring her completely to him. He lifted her hips slightly and gripped his cock in his free hand. He aligned himself up with her entrance and pushed inside her.

“Yes!” Caroline screamed out as he was fully seethed inside her, his pelvis resting against hers. Klaus moved his hips slowly, withdrawing himself from her before thrusting back in, his fingers digging into her skin and if this body was human, his grip would have left a bruise. Over and over Klaus thrusted into her, the pleasure of not only feeling him being inside her but his own desires flowing their shared bond consumed her. “Klaus! Hell! Yes! Please! More!”

“Scream for me. Let the souls that are bound here know who their mistress is.” Klaus hissed, his pace increasing and the sound of their skin slapping together could be heard throughout his domain. Caroline continued to scream his name, the magic flowing through her, shattering the windows of the room as she came the second time since arriving in Hell. Klaus continued to thrust as the shattered glass picked itself from the floor and molding itself back into the frames of the window. Caroline could feel Klaus release building through the bond. Faster and faster Klaus continued to thrust in an erratic pace until he froze, coming inside her. “Caroline!”

Caroline could feel the heat of him spilling himself into her, and she could feel every ounce of adoration he felt for her echoing in the bond. The magic that was pinning her down, released her and she sat up. She took Klaus’s face into her hands and pulled him into a searing kiss, words were not enough to express the depth of her affection for him. The kiss and her mark expressing everything that no known language could convey. When the kiss slowed and they broke apart, Klaus rested his head against hers; his eyes looking at her as though she created every domain locked behind Hell’s gates.

“Get dressed. There is something I have to do.” Klaus whispered, the heat of his breath touching her lips. He pulled from her, his now limp cock sliding out from her, causing Caroline to groan at the loss. His naked body stood before her and she saw him close his eyes. The blood that was still caked on his skin slowly vanished and his blonde curls returned to their natural color. She could hear the wardrobe rattle and the doors flung open, a Henley and jeans coursing through the air towards him. Caroline turned her head, to see that the wardrobed was completely empty before the doors slammed shut. Klaus dressed himself before holding out his hand to Caroline, pulling her from the bed.

Caroline looked down at her naked form and blinked, the fabric of her torn dress mending itself back together until dress was exactly as Klaus made it to be. She cocked her head to the side and smiled. The dress turned from the midnight black to a dusty rose color, a color Caroline felt fit her mood in that moment.

“What? I don’t feel like wearing black for the rest of eternity.” Caroline retorted and Klaus remained silent, but she could see the amusement on his face. Caroline gripped his hand, weaving their fingers together and Klaus pulled her to his side. “Now, what is it that you have to do at this very moment?” 

“Hold up the end of my deal.” There was a levity in Klaus’s voice that she had not expected and an emotion of contentment vibrating through her. She could feel the tears prickle in her eyes and she wondered if it was possible to cry in Hell. She supposed that this place saw an endless supply of tears. Klaus leaned down to kiss the top of her head, letting his linger at the base of her hairline before pulling her through the wide glass doors. “Come along Sweetheart.”

Caroline followed as Klaus dragged her down the winding hallway, the lamps on the walls burning brighter than she could have imagined. The light that flowed around them felt like the delight that she felt, as though it was growing bright with every passing step simply because she was happy. Even the whispered of the damned souls that belonged to Klaus seemed to be in less misery. The pulsing walls seemed to slow into a steady and content pace.

At the end of the hallway was a red door, the same door she had seen once in her dreams. She turned to look at the painting that hung on the wall beside it to see Freya’s bright eyes beaming down at her. Her painted lips curled into the brightest smile she had ever seen of her. For a moment, Caroline swore she saw the painting blink and they Freya stood still again; not feeling the need to change her expression. The one of elation was enough to tell Caroline everything she needed to know.

“Freya always knew that this day would come. That Mikael would be turned to stone and that you find me. It is why she gave herself over so easily, to condemn herself to life trapped in a painting.” Caroline saw Klaus looking at the face of his sister, a silent promise passed between the three of them. One day when Klaus is able to shatter the statue of Mikael, his spell would break, and Freya would be free from the binds of his curse. Caroline gave Klaus’s hand a tight squeeze. “Take me to see Cami.”

“Right through the door.” Klaus nodded towards the red door and Caroline reached out to grip the black knob. She turned it and pushed the door open, listening as the hinges creaked as though they had not been opened in years. The room was empty except dozens of candles that lined the wide-open space. Caroline blew a soft stream of air from her lips and every candle grew aflame. The walls were a soft pink with white flowers painted on them, the very spirit of Cami written in every design. At the far end, directly below a massive window that looked out into the abyss of Hell, was a bed pushed up against the glass and Cami’s sleeping form laid there. “As I promised, her soul is yours.”

Caroline walked slowly towards the bed, the creek of the floorboard guiding her every step. She looked down at her aunt’s sleeping form and saw how peaceful she was. There was no ounce of pain nor fear in the lines of her face. Klaus had ensured that she felt no misery as she slept; a selfless act he did because the thought of Cami’s eternal suffering brought Caroline pain. She reached out to touch Cami’s face, tracing the length of her cheeks with her thumb. Slowly, Cami’s head moved, pressing deeper into Caroline’s hand. Her eyes blinked open and a pair of blue eyes looked up at her. A pair of eyes she never thought she was going to see again.

“Caroline?” Cami asked, confusion filling her voice. Her eyes darted around and landing on Klaus who stood behind Caroline, giving the pair a small breach. Cami’s eyes widened before snapping back to Caroline, realization clouding her face. “Did it work? Did he keep you safe? Are you okay?”

“Yes. It worked. I’m okay. I’m safe.” Caroline’s voice was hoarse, and she could taste the salt from her tears on her lips. She looked up to the window and the sound of the turning of the lock could be heard. The windows creaked open, allowing the warmth of Hell to greet them. Caroline looked back down at Cami to see her wide and worried face gazing at her with little understand of what she had just seen.

“Caroline?”

“Shh. It’s okay. Everything is okay. I’m happy and I’m safe. I’ve found peace here and it is time that you do to.” Caroline closed her tear-soaked eyes and pressed her lips to her aunt’s forehead. She let the kiss linger, her tears falling onto Cami’s skin and she gripped her aunt’s hand, squeezing it tightly. She pulled back and gave Cami once last look before letting her hand go. “Go. You’re fee. I’m letting you go. There is nothing holding you here. It’s time to find peace.”

There was a slight breeze that flowed around them. It was not as hot as hellfire nor as cold as ice, but it was filled comfort and home. There was a soft light that surrounded Cami, glowing from inside her. Caroline could see the soft smile on Cami’s lips and the peace filling her eyes. The light gently turned Cami into a series of pink orbs, the very core of her soul baring before Caroline’s eyes. The wind carried Cami’s soul through the open window and towards the skyline, forever leaving Hell’s depths in search in of the everlasting peace Caroline had felt her aunt deserved.


	22. Epilogue- The Eulogy of Caroline Forbes

Elena Salvatore gazed down at the headstone, tears dried on her cheeks. The dusty grey color of the stone felt lifeless and cold, everything that Caroline hadn’t been. In the two weeks since her death, Elena had never felt more lost. The nausea rolled in her stomach as she read over the words the words carved and immortalized in the stone. Words that Elena painstakingly picked and felt that they were not enough.

_Caroline Elizabeth Forbes_

_October 10, 1992-September 24, 2016_

_The Light that Lingered in the Darkness_

She could not say what made her choose those words, a whisper in her ear and Caroline’s laughter ringing in the back of her mind as she thought them. Elena leaned down and placed the bouquet of daisies that she had gripped in her hand at the base of the headstone. There at least six other bouquets of flowers resting there for Caroline, most from Elena and a few from Dr. Maxfield. Elena thought on the therapist, his offer for her to come and speak with him still up in the air and his number burning a place in her phone for her continued residence in Mystic Falls remained unclear.

Elena jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, not hearing the footsteps that approached her. She whipped around, her long brown hair flowing in the cool October air. She sucked in a breath, feeling the sharp intake in her lungs. Her eyes wide, gazing at the face of an old friend and the last person she thought would come to visit Caroline’s grace.

“Hayley? What are you doing here?” Elena asked, taking in Hayley’s appearance. Her brown hair was tied back with a few strands hanging in her face. She wore a tight black jacket that zipped up in the front and with jeans and her ever present leather boots. Elena glanced down to see the wedding ring on her finger and she gave a bitter laugh. “I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Yeah. Tyler and I just went to city hall. We didn’t want to be insensitive.” Hayley glanced down at the gravestone, reading over the words and Elena thought she detected a hint of remorse in her tone. “My mom drove up from Atlanta. We just had Carol and her as witnesses. We’ll have a reception or something in a few months but with everything had happened, we couldn’t justify have a big wedding.”

“Why? It’s not like you cared about Caroline or anything.” Elena snapped harshly, causing Hayley to flinch. “Or was it the dozen or so other people who died that made you and Tyler choose to get married quietly. I bet it wasn’t even your choice. I bet Carol made that call. Can’t upset the new mother-in-law, can you?”

“Elena-“

“No. Don’t.” She held up her finger, silencing Hayley’s retort. “Don’t pretend to care now. You spent years demonizing Caroline for no reason. You hated her for no reason, and now she is dead. All I can see now is the remorse of your own actions.” Elena shook her head, looking down at the gravestone. “You were the last bit of family she had, and you hated her.”

“I didn’t hate her.” Hayley said, her tone low and dejected. She pulled her arms around her chest, protecting herself from something that Elena could not place. “I was uneasy around her. If I explained why or just even said it outload you would think I’m insane, but there was something following her. Haunting her. As a kid it terrified me. I can’t explain it but something was wrong with her but that doesn’t mean I wanted her to die.”

“Look, I’m tried and-“

“Elena!” Elena turned to see Damon strolling across the graveyard, his blue Camaro parked in the distance. Elena balled her fist and a sense of anger rising up in her. She narrowed her brown eyes, glaring across the graveyard as Damon came closer. Nothing was the same as it used to be and Elena wished she could erase the last few weeks, even years from her memory. “Elena!”

“I got to go.” Elena told Hayley, not even bothering to look back at her old friend. She stormed away from Caroline’s headstone and walked in the other direction; avoiding speaking to her husband at all cost. She could hear Damon’s footstep pick up, chasing after her until he was close enough that Elena whipped around to glare at him. “Leave me alone, Damon. I am not in the mood to talk to you.”

“Please! Just, give me a chance to explain-“

“Explain what, Damon!” Elena hissed, her eyes narrowed, and her arms looked out wide. The light breeze caused her brown hair to blow in her face. “Explain to me how I woke up in the morning to find our home surrounded by police? Or how about you explain the mutilated dead bodies of god knows who? Or the fact that Stefan was covered in blood muttering about the Anti-Christ?” Tears pooled in her eyes again. “Explain to me how I had to find my best friend’s dead body lying in a pool of blood that may or may not be hers?”

“I don’t know Elena. I can’t explain what happened.” Damon looked at his wife with a helpless expression. He opened and closed his mouth several time, unable to find the right words. Tears feel down the side of her cheeks and he reached out to wipe them away, having always hated to see her cry but Elena stepped back, refusing to allow him to touch her. Damon pulled his hand back and let it fall to his side, his shoulders slumping in dismay. “I woke to find the same chaos as you.”

“So, your brother just drugged us both to commit a massacre? That makes no sense. Why would he leave us alive?” Elena asked the question that she had gone over in her head a thousand times since that morning. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her blood-soaked living room and the dismembered bodies on the floor. She memorized Caroline’s pale face and her vacant eyes staring at the ceiling. Damon on his knees, gazing at the scene with abject horror on his face.

And Stefan kneeling in the middle of it all, drenched in blood from head to toe; all sanity having left him.

“Stefan is going away for a very long time. He will never see the light of day again. He’ll never be a free man and even if he was, he is not in his right mind.” Elena turned to gaze up into those blue eyes that she had fallen in love when she was no older than seventeen. She knew when Damon was being honest with her and she could still see that he was hiding something from her. She had seen that look in his eyes for weeks and he still was unable to confide in her.

“I thought you were having an affair.” Elena pulled her coat around her tightly, thinking back to all those nights she was alone, wondering if her husband was with another woman. “I almost wish you had been. It would have easier. Instead you were what? Covering up for your brother? They think he killed Matt and April, and Father Saltzman. They even think that he drove down to Atlanta to murder Stephen Marshall. You know, Caroline’s step-dad.”

“He was obsessed with her. I’ll give you that.” Elena snorted at Damon’s remark, feeling as though it barely scratched the surface. It was a neat bow and it all made sense. Stephen always hated Stefan when he was with Caroline and Matt was concerned about her safety in regard to Stefan, April would have been in the way. His mumbled confession to the deaths, mixed with tales of devil worship made Elena’s stomach roll again. “I never cheated on you. I never would. I was worried about Stefan. He was not acting like himself. I was just trying to help my brother. That’s all.”

“Yeah well, he killed my best friend so I’m not sympathetic to that excuse.” Elena shook her head and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, exhaling a bitter laugh as her stomach turned again. She opened her eyes to find Damon looking at her with concern. “How did you know I would be here?”

“It’s Caroline’s birthday. Or, would have been. It wasn’t hard to figure out.” Damon replied and Elena startled, surprised that he knew the meaning of the date. “Don’t look at me like that Elena. You were hoping to plan something for her. A surprise. You talked my ear off about it and unlike what you think, I do listen to you.”

“Not when I tell you I need time and space to think.” Damon didn’t reply but nodded. Elena had told him over and over to leave her alone. She packed a bag that same day, a police officer watching her every move and rented a hotel room. She refused to move back into the Boarding House, and from what she gathered from the few people she spoke to, so had Damon. “Look, I’m going to go to Denver for a little while. Spend some time with my brother. Just, give me that please. If and when I am ready, I’ll call.”

Damon was silent for a long while, refusing to look away from his wife. After a long agonizing minute, Damon nodded his head and let out a low breath. He didn’t say anything else but instead turned on his heels and slowly walked towards the blue Camaro that was parked across the cemetery. Elena watched his retreating back before moving in the other direction towards her own car.

Just up the small drive that weaved through the cemetery, she saw another car pull up and a woman with brown hair climb out of it. She had chocolate skin and sad eyes. As they passed, the woman gave her a small smile and Elena wondered who it had been that she lost. The thought fled from her mind as their shoulders met and sent the woman’s purse flying to the ground, its contents spilling onto the ground.

“Oh god, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” Elena knelt down on the ground and began helping the woman pick up her belongings. She picked up a small card that had elegant calligraphy and a name of a business on it. _Bonnie Bennett, Bennett’s Herb and Tarot Shop. 68 Kings Street, Richmond, Virginia._ “Bonnie. I know that name. I’ve heard that name before.”

“What? I’m sorry.”

“Right. Um, Elena Salvatore.” Elena introduced herself, holding out her hand and noticing how Bonnie’s eyes grew wide at the mention of her name. Reluctantly, Bonnie reached out and grasped Elena’s hand, only to pull it back quickly. Elena startled at the reaction and stood from the ground, clutching Bonnie’s card in her hand. “I knew Caroline. Caroline Forbes? I think she mentioned your name. And something about looking at her aunt’s stuff, before her house burned down.”

“Yeah. I was coming to pay my respects.” Bonnie whispered lowly. “I got held up with...” She paused, unable to formulate the words she was thinking. Her eyes flickered from Elena into the graveyard. Elena looked over her shoulder to see Hayley still standing at Caroline’s grave. “I got held up with my daughter. She is going through a hard time right now and I wasn’t able to attend the funeral. I’m sorry did you say that your last name was Salvatore?”

“Yes?” Elena asked, wondering if Bonnie heard about Stefan, which would be the only logical conclusion to Bonnie behavior. It was clear that Bonnie was uncomfortable, her eyes looking around the cemetery as though she was searching for something or someone. “It’s my married name. Are you okay? You seem upset. Which is a stupid question. We’re in a graveyard. Happiness is not usually found here.”

“No. Its usually not.” Bonnie slowly reached out and took Elena’s hand, turning it palm side up. She looked at the lines on her hand, slowly tracing it. At first, Elena wanted to yank her hand away from Bonnie but there was a prickle over her skin, an unfamiliar feeling pooling in her stomach. “You’re pregnant.”

“What?” Elena sucked in a breath and her eyes grew wide. The thought had crossed her mind a few times in the last several weeks but with being concerned with Damon’s fidelity and then massacre and burying Caroline, Elena refused to take a test, not wanting to accept the truth just yet. She wanted to get to Denver first and then figure out if she was indeed pregnant. Yet, this woman who she had never met seemed to be able to sense it on her. “How did you know?”

“I just do.” Bonnie replied, turning to dig into her purse. She pulled out a small note pad that had just been on the ground along with a pen. She opened the pad and began to write down a series of numbers. “The number on my business card is disconnected. I had to close up shop recently. Here is how you can get in touch with me.”

“Why would I need your number?”

“Because you’re carrying a Salvatore child.” Bonnie let a low breath. “They are protective of the own and they lost a lot of people a few weeks ago.” Bonnie turned back towards the graveyard and Elena turned to see Hayley slowly walking out of the cemetery and towards a car that Elena did not recognize. “Caroline messed everything up for them and they are scrambling. Something has changed but they will try again.”

“You’re not making any sense. What did Caroline do?” Elena could feel the cold October breeze seeping into her bones and an eerie feeling that Bonnie and she were not as alone as it would appear. For a moment, she thought she smelt the sweet smell of honeysuckle; a hint of the perfume Caroline used to wear. “When you say they lost people? Who are they? Are you talking about the massacre that Caroline died in? What do you know?”

“I can’t talk here but they will come after you and your baby.” Bonnie ripped the paper from the pad and pushed it into her hand. “If you start to feel as though you’re being followed or strange things just start happening around you, call me. Call me immediately and I’ll try and help. For Caroline.”

“Who, why, what? Why would someone want my baby?”

“Because they want mine too. Call me. I have to go. Coming here was a mistake.” Bonnie turned on her heels, quickly running towards her car that was only parked a few feet down from her own. Elena slowly moved to her own car, watching as Bonnie quickly drove around her and down the land. Elena look down at the phone number, wondering if she should toss it to the ground and leave it behind. Then she felt a hand on her arm and her hair stand on end but when she looked up, she found that she was alone.

Elena folded the paper and stuck it in her back pocket. She pulled her car keys from her jacket pocket and climbed into her car. As she shut the door, the smell of Caroline’s perfume came over her again. Elena’s hands froze as she went to put her keys in the ignition. Her eyes flickered upward to the rearview mirror and she took in a deep breath.

Caroline was gazing back at her in the mirror.

Elena sat transfixed, staring at her friend. Her hair was piled high on her head and her blue eyes were wide and bright; happiness echoing out of them that Elena had always wanted to see from her. She wore a small smile on her lips, bringing her hand up in order to give Elena a gentle wave.

Elena whipped around to turn and face her friend only to find the backseat completely empty. She let out the breath she was holding and her heart breaking slightly again. She leaned back into the driver’s seat, shaking her head. Her gaze turned to the rearview mirror, only to find that it was empty; showing nothing more than a vacant back seat.

“You’re losing your mind Elena. Caroline is dead and she isn’t coming back.” Elena whispered to herself, reaching behind her to grab her seat belt and ignoring the tears that were once again burning in her eyes. She buckled the seat belt and put her keys in the ignition, turning the car on and slowly making her way down the gravel road, passing every tombstone and turning her thoughts towards the nearest drug store, wondering if she should buy a pregnancy test to confirm her suspicions. Bonnie’s number burned in her back pocket and tried to shake the feeling as though she was not alone.

Elena turned the volume on her radio up, blocking out Caroline’s musical laughter that followed her from the cemetery and into a story that has yet to be told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm just in shock that this story is over. For awhile I wondered if I was ever going to finish it when I hit a burnout in October but I'm happy my muse came back to me and I was able to get to this point.
> 
> Demonology was originally supposed to be a Harry Potter AU and if you squint, you can spot a few influences here and there but it did go though a whole process and changes to be what it is today. This world I created and all the research and plotting really came in handy. Demonology turned into a genre that I never expected and it really was something I set out to do in order to challenge myself. Horror is not my preferred genre (I'm actually a bit of a scaredy cat) and was weary of doing something that probably would give me nightmares but I tried anyway.
> 
> And I am so glad I did. 
> 
> This entire story was the long telling of how Caroline becomes queen of the damned and it was a ride that I am so happy I got to share with the everyone. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone (Ellie, Guila, Lottie, Sabrina and everyone single one of you who commented). Without you, I probably wouldn't have kept pushing forwards with this. I do want to apologize for not responding to comments for a few months (I was in a dark place) but do know I read every single one of them. I hope that Demonology is a story that you come back to and love as much as I do. It holds a special place in my heart, just like Wanderlust and Just Good Business do. 
> 
> Once again, thank you guys for al the support and love that I could ask for.


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